#Sapioromantic Jaskier

[thelostgirl21]

A celebration of Joey Batey offering TV show writers a pure masterclass on how to write a queer character with a queer audience in mind.

Can I just say how much respect and appreciation I have for Joey, that he went above and beyond in term of queer representation, by bringing some much needed attention towards people on the aromantic spectrum, and making gender a complete romantic/sexual (and even queerplatonic) non-issue?

I mean, imagine that you are part of a show with a young and powerful canonically bisexual lead, Ciri, who is at an age where people might start exploring their own sexuality, slowly figuring out who and what they like, etc.

And suddenly, you're offered to also be playing another queer lead character, with a male love interest - while knowing it will be the very first time that the audience will be officially introduced to the idea of Jaskier being queer...

And, instead of going with the more familiar, and often expected:

"A man that's always been with women before, now finds himself romantically and sexually attracted to a man, and starts questioning his own sexual identity..." coming out story...

You find yourself with a unique opportunity to go a bit further, to explore more specific and lesser known LGBTQ+ themes, and to delightfully surprise your queer audience!

You can take a full dive into the wonderful world of Queerdom, by exploring a different - yet just as equally important and significant - coming out story!

i.e.

"A usually aromantic person, that has always experienced squishes, smushes, and possibly meshes before, finds himself experiencing a (sapio)romantic crush for the very first time, and starts questioning his romantic identity..."

Of course, a lot of people in the audience will probably miss this.

The monosexuals that have been conditioned to believe that gender must always play a role in how one experiences romantic and sexual human attraction - will likely be paying more attention to how Jaskier is showing an interest in a man.

People that are used to equating "falling in love" with "romantic attraction", might miss the significance and importance of Vespula specifically using the word crush to refer to Jaskier's current attraction towards Radovid.

People that typically see non-gender-related orientations as "mere preferences", or have simply never heard of them, might miss how Jaskier goes on and on about how "emotionally intelligent and insightful Radovid is" , with a look of vulnerability and wonder, putting emphasis on how different he feels about him.

People that were taught to see emotional relationships according to the "platonic vs romantic" binary - with a strict idea of what each means and implies - may not be familiar with what queerplatonic relationships are, and will interpret Jaskier saying that he loves Geralt "platonically" as meaning that he's not as deeply and strongly in love with him as one might usually expect a romantic partner to be.

They'll be unaware that there are committed life partners out there - that would go to the end of the world for each other and perhaps even share sexual intimacy together - that don't have any romantic feelings for each other whatsoever.

Romance does not mean "being in love", romance means "being in love in a romantic way".

And it is not the only way.

To aromantics and greyromantics - and even to romantic people that also have the capacity to fall in love in non-romantic ways, such as yours truly - queerplatonic and alterous relationships aren't "lesser than" romantic ones, they are different.

And Radovid... is different.

Radovid is no better, nor worse, than a hammer...

But he's a spoon.

He's a romantic connection that is completely new, exciting and intriguing to explore for Jaskier!

According to Joey Batey, as a sapioromantic panromantic pansexual, Jaskier finds himself developing a strong sapioromantic and sapiosexual connection with Radovid.

Jaskier is representing people that aren't romantically or sexually affected by a partner's gender in the way that they experience sexual atttraction, and people that experience a lot of tertiary attraction when falling in love, while very seldom ever being able to love others in a romantic way (sapioromantics / greyromantics... ).

Jaskier is a queer character that was truly created with a queer audience in mind!

He was created so that all of us that don't see or experience love according to the platonic vs romantic binary.

All of us that are hyperaware of those other forms of attraction (tertiary, aesthetic, sensual, etc.) that one can experience for another human being.

All of us that don't see or experience romance or sexuality as something that ties into their partner's gender.

Could finally see themselves in a character on screen.

Of course, you still need characters that experience their sexuality while feeling like the gender of their romantic and sexual partners matters - including those that love all genders... Desperately so!

First, because all members of the queer community matter and are equally as important and valuable. Rejoicing over Batey diving into lesser known and familiar representation doesn't mean that familiar and better known representation should not be encouraged and celebrated as well!

This is not a "there should be less gay character on TV to make room for more aromantics and asexuals instead" post.

This is a "we need queer identities people are less familiar with in addition to proper gay, lesbian and bisexual representation" post.

And second, because you still need characters that don't stray too much from the platonic v.s. romantic binary, too - and the usual social conventions tied to romance and sexuality - so that non-queer audiences can more easily connect, and empathize with, the queer community.

Because, when the existence of bisexuality already is something that monosexual people often have a hard time understanding, acknowledging, or even believing in...

Well, going:"By the way, I'll have you know that you can totally want to have sex with, live, and raise children with someone you've got platonic feelings for, too!"

You might accidentally lose them.

And if you try to explain that some people are unable to romantically connect with anyone, unless they get specifically attracted to their intellect (often combined with their aesthetic looks)!

That's likely going to be even worse!

And this is where Batey's pure genius comes to light.

Because he's just shown that you can find a beautiful and organic way to explore queerness more in depth - totally stepping away from the usual relationship conventions and specifically addressing your queer audience - simply by using a vocabulary that said queer audience will understand and connect with.

You can make it clear that the character is on the greyromantic spectrum, by having Vespula state that she's never ever seen him with a crush before!

You can put the emphasis on him being more specifically sapioromantic, by having him dreamily go on about how Jaskier perceives Radovid's intellect.

And, if Batey is to be believed - and he's been exploring the idea of Jaskier being queer since the very beginning of the show (without any clear response from the writers or producers regarding Jaskier's sexuality) - then, by making it clear that he loves Geralt platonically in Season 3, he's also allowing us to revisit all the scenes between Jaskier and Geralt from Season 1, while enjoying them through an aromantic lense.

Someone on the aromantic spectrum watching that scene might thus find themselves deeply connecting with the strong platonic squish (although it could also be a mesh) that Jaskier immediately experienced the very first time he saw Geralt...

You can see Jaskier as specifically believing himself to be Geralt's best friend in the whole wide world, and instinctively reading into Geralt allowing him to physically/sensually touch him (rubbing chamomile onto his lovely bottom) as him possibly desiring a queerplatonic connection with him also.

And, the scene where he's suggesting to Geralt that they could get away for a while, head to the coast together...

Where he mentions that life is too short not to do what pleases you, and admits that he's trying to work on what pleases him...

Look, the fact is that there's always been aromantic and greyromantic people experiencing tertiary forms of love and attractions for other people long before we had any words to put on those emotions, desires and needs.

So, it's rather easy to see Jaskier as someone that is experiencing a powerful alterous attraction for his best friend, and realizing that what pleases him the most, is the idea of them sharing a queerplatonic or alterous relationship together...

It makes sense to interpret what Jaskier is saying as him trying to express and articulate the love he feels for Geralt the best he can - implying that Geralt is what pleases him - while trying to ask Geralt if he also feels the same way...

Sadly, Geralt doesn't quite get it; likely because he's also romantically and sexually attracted to Yennefer and, when he loses her, instinctively throws all his own hurt and heartbreak at Jaskier - blaming him for everything that (he believes) lead to that loss!

And just because the break up Jaskier experienced wasn't a romantic one doesn't make it any less devastating.

Poor loving bard was making plans for them to continue to travel and enjoy their time together as the platonic boyfriends he believed them to be, and Geralt told him that all Jaskier had to offer him was a giant pile of shit that he kept shoveling his way!

There's been a lot of alterous and/or queeplatonic subtext since Season 1 (that could also read as romantic, but should never be used as evidence or proof of romance if we were talking about a real life partnership).

And, while I do acknowledge that queerbaiting has been messing with our ability to perceive and appreciate those relationships as such, I do think that, canonically establishing Jaskier as a sapioromantic, at the very least, clearly addresses the reasons why Jaskier was behaving in such an amorous way with Geralt without being romantically in love with him.

For once, instead of mocking the queer audience for "having mistakenly read two same-gender close friends as being romantically attracted to each other" (while doing as much as they can to suggest romance to keep them hooked!), they are canonically establishing Jaskier as a sapioromantic, with him experiencing his first romantic crush with Radovid.

The show's dialogue is telling people on the aromantic spectrum that "Yes, Jaskier is one of you. He gets squishes, meshes, lushes, and can desire a queerplatonic relationship with a best friend he's got strong platonic feelings for also."

You can speak to your queer audience, without fully risking alienating your non-queer audience, by simply using clues, and a language that your queer audience understands.

And I will forever be grateful to Joey Batey for having understood it, and having so skillfully managed it.

As someone who is ambiamorous, panalterous, panromantic, demisexual, and pansexual, all the nuances and details he brought to Jaskier's queerness was a pure delight, and spoke to me in a way that no TV show character has ever spoken to me before (except, perhaps, in "Sense8", but the whole show itself was about what it meant to love and be human, with main characters sharing a supernatural psychic bond making them more likely to open themselves to all the queer forms of love... whereas shows like "The Witcher" is of a more mainstream fantasy show).

I wish I had a way to contact him to tell him thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for breaking gender boundaries, and "platonic vs romantic" boundaries with Jaskier, and offering us a character that is one of the purest, most beautiful, and most perfectly balanced love song to queerness that one could have written and sung about!

Jaskier is a queer representation groundbreaking masterpiece on a show such as this.

That representation is as intelligent, insightful, and sharp as Prince Radovid himself.

And Extraordinarily Things said more about Jaskier's feelings, issues, and vulnerabilities than any piece of dialogue ever could have, and had me weeping my eyes out by the time Jaskier sang about how he finally felt like he was enough...

Well done Joey, you absolutely brilliant and deeply empathetic real-life bard and poet, well done...

#Jaskier #The Witcher #Sapioromantic Jaskier #Pan Jaskier #Pansexual Jaskier #Panromantic Jaskier #Greyromantic Jaskier #Sapioromantism #Greyromantism #Panromantism #Pansexuality #Queer representation #LGBTQ+ #Queer #Joey Batey is a genius #Please ask him to guide you in addressing Ciri's bisexuality as well! #Queerplatonic #queerplatonic relationship #My posts #My thoughts

[do-you-know-this-queer-character]

Do you know this queer character?

Jaskier is Sapioromantic and Pansexual, and uses he/him pronouns!

#hoooo boy okay I found quotes from the actor saying both sapioromantic and pansexual so that's what we're going with #even though the sapioromantic part does not seem to be widely acknowledged in fandom it was mentioned specifically by name #someone also submitted polyamorous but I can't find anything about that so lmk if it's true #jaskier #the witcher #witcher netflix #twn #julian alfred pankratz #tumblr polls #fandom polls #poll #sapioromantic #pansexual #he/him #live action #video game #lgbtqia #do you know this queer character

[my-jokes-are-my-armour]

I love Joey Batey. OK.

Source [x]

Also the guess :

Source [x]

#joey batey #jaskier #tws3 #tws3 spoilers #spoilers #i just love this man ok #and just as an ace who already fell in love in a sapioromantic way #i am just crying to see something like that on screen

[endiness]

If anyone is interested, here are all of the spoilers and rumors so far about Radovid and Jaskier x Radovid and just everything relating to that. And also book!Radovid.

"Royal playboy and younger brother to King Vizimir, Radovid finds himself suddenly a man on the inside of the Redanian Intelligence. With his good looks and drunken charm, Radovid amazes with how incisive he can be in political affairs, but it’s all games until someone gets hurt."

Source: https://twitter.com/witchernetflix/status/1514605669667663872

~

Source: https://twitter.com/RedanianIntel/status/1669074435586834433

~

Episode 1: “Shaerrawedd” Meanwhile at the Redanian court, our bard Jaskier is involved in political plots and schemes, which leads him to his fateful meeting with Prince Radovid of Redania.

Episode 2: “Unbound” Back at the Redanian court, there’s still plotting, scheming and the development of Jaskier’s romance with Prince Radovid. The bard even sings a song to the prince.

Source: https://redanianintelligence.com/2023/06/15/spoilers-the-witcher-season-3-vol-1-episode-guide/

~

Transcript of Radovid's audition scene with Jaskier:

Jaskier: It’s been years since I’ve seen the princess. Also, ……. If I could help… Radovid: It’s nice, but nothing like you chose. What I wouldn’t give to hear you play halfway as … on that one. Jaskier: Oh, a fan? And someone who understands true artistry? How the instrument and the artist can elevate each other. Radovid: Yes, two things of beauty, made to be together. Jaskier: Precisely! Radovid: So here’s a thought: this poor princess has enemies everywhere and truth be told our kingdom’s not a bad place. It’s cold in winter and humid in summer. The cuisine, however, spectacular. And my brother’s not bad as far as my likes are concerned. Redania may not be perfect, but it’s her least bad option. And if you came to Redania, you could be our royal troubadour. Otherwise we might have to listen to that reedy voice of Valdo Marx. Just think about it, would you? Jaskier: I would. Radovid: We should be going. [Suggestive] Unless you’d like to show me how you play your instrument.

* Note: I've changed the names to reflect the proper characters/locations.

Source: https://redanianintelligence.com/2021/12/02/the-witcher-season-3-audition-tape-suggests-more-political-intrigue-involving-jaskier/

~

We know that this [audition] scene or a very close version of it made it into the show and that there are more moments of flirtation and chemistry between Radovid and Jaskier later on. The two men develop a romantic relationship over the course of the season. And later, Jaskier and Radovid finally kiss.

Source: https://redanianintelligence.com/2023/05/24/yes-what-many-thought-about-the-witcher-jaskier-is-true/

~

“Jaskier falls in love,” Schmidt Hissrich reveals. “And it’s with a character who fans will know [and] continues showing up in the books. So what happens this season between them will have ripple effects for a very long time.”

Batey relished digging into Jaskier’s new love story. “He’s having his hot girl summer,” Batey jokes. “It’s been really rewarding to see [his love life] told in a very visual way. [We] ensured that these romances are told truthfully — and sensitively and carefully, without resorting to stereotypes… Hopefully we’ve created something that is special, a sapioromantic and sapiosexual [connection] that is as flawed as any other relationship in this show.”

One other element in Jaskier’s life may just complicate his newfound love. As he’s “falling into an uncle role” for Ciri alongside parental figures Geralt and Yennefer, Jaskier is also pulled into the political machinations of the Continent.  

“He’s certainly a man of many trades, but I’m not sure he’s inherently built to be a spy,” Batey says. “Yet he’s found himself in a time of war, in turmoil, and is trying to do his best to do something good.”

Source: https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/witcher-season-3-henry-cavill-interview

~

Joey Batey finally verified that his poet will indeed end up in a romantic entanglement with the new character. "Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich came to me long before we even saw some scripts and said, 'This is the direction we'd like to take Jaskier,'" Batey told SFX, calling the romance subplot "a more modern interpretation of the books." In a previous interview with Netflix's Tudum, Batey declared season 3 Jaskier's "hot girl summer," calling the romance "sapioromantic" (a term that refers to falling for someone's intellect regardless of gender) without actually citing the love interest character by name.

Speaking to SFX, Batey explained that he doesn't "think Jaskier really sees gender," but also implied that meeting Radovid throws the character for a loop from their very first encounter. "We see Radovid arriving," Batey said, and, "for the first time in a while, Jaskier can't work him out. That to him is the most intriguing prospect." He describes a moment of recognition between the pair: "You wear just as much of a mask as I do. I want to see who is going to lower their mask first."

Hissrich also spoke with the outlet, and explained that Jaskier's relationship with Radovid will be completely different than his connection with a character video game players will know, Vespula. "When we started in the writers' room this season, we had a question about Jaskier that was really fun to explore: Who is Jaskier when he is on his own, away from Geralt, Yen and Ciri?" Hissrich asked. "What that brought us to is Jaskier's first really serious relationship."

Hissrich continued: "We introduced a character from the books, Vespula — Jaskier's on-again-off-again lover, but then we used that dynamic to provide a contrast to what happens when Jaskier actually starts to have deeper feelings toward someone." That someone seems poised to be Radovid.

"My priority was ensuring it was done in a sensitive, caring way that avoided all kinds of stereotypes," he told SFX. "I was heavily involved in some of the script revisions in order to ensure a very safe, sexual, romantic connection with this person."

Source: https://www.slashfilm.com/1309204/the-witcher-joey-batey-confirms-jaskiers-romance-season-3/

~

Jaskier will be singing tunes here and there throughout the season. One of his sad love songs he will be singing to none other than his new love interest, Prince Radovid of Redania.

Source: https://redanianintelligence.com/2023/06/12/jaskier-song-lover-radovid-and-other-tunes-in-the-witcher-season-3/

~

Mentions of Radovid in the books:

Prince Radovid was a minor, Queen Hedwig had been devastated by the tragic death of her husband - the aristocracy, terrified, had become stupid, and was disunited and divided into factions.

— Baptism of Fire

“I know [Calante] had wedding plans for Ciri, to join her with young Tancred Thyssen of Kovir or perhaps to the Redanian prince, Radovid, I don’t know exactly.”

— The Tower of Swallows

'Long live His Holiness!' A few voices came from the crowd, obviously bribes. Novigrad's hierarch Cyrus Englekind Hemmelfart rose and blessed the people and the army with his outstretched hands, while irreverently covering Queen Hedwig and young Radovid with the skirts of his robe.

Nobody shouts, "Long live Radovid", thought the prince covered by the hierarch's fat ass. No one even looks at me. No one is screaming in honour of my mother. No one remembers my poor father. Even today, at a day of triumph, which he so richly deserved. After all, that's why he was murdered.

He felt a gaze on his neck. Delicate like someone he did not know - or knew, but only in his dreams. Something that was soft like a brush of a woman's warm lips. He turned his head. He discovered the dark unfathomable eyes of Philippa Eilhart fixed on him.

Wait, thought the prince, looking away. Just wait.

No one could predict or guess then that this boy of thirteen years, which at that time was a person without any relevance in a country ruled by the Regency Council and by Dijkstra, would become king. A king who, after he paid all the insults that had been given to his mother and him, would go down in history with the name Radovid the Stern.

— Lady of the Lake

#radovid #jaskier #jaskier x radovid #radskier #the witcher #!txt: the witcher #the witcher spoilers #updated: 6/15

[bitterlybisexualbard]

Saw a take that apparently Joey Batey backed up that Jaskier is sapioromantic and pansexual and never fell in love or had a crush before Radovid and just... really? The same guy we were told “falls in love with whoever is in front of him” rather than just being after sex? That guy? The two are pretty mutually exclusive here. 

Either he was falling in love with these people and wasn’t a ‘womanizer’ stereotype so much as a hopeless romantic with a short attention span, or he literally kept seducing and fucking married or ‘chaste’ women (and men and others) he had nothing but physical attraction for while telling them he was in love with them and/or agreeing to monogamous romantic relationships with them that he already knew he didn’t want until meeting ‘the one’, which is pretty much THE stereotype of a womanizer regardless of his sexual or romantic orientation or your views on the morality of it all. I guess you could argue that he thought it was love at the time, but it still sounds pretty suspect given how often we know he follows the pattern.

There is nothing wrong with Radovid being different, the feeling being something Jaskier hasn’t felt before, or hasn’t felt that deeply. Relationships should feel different with different people, and sometimes feelings go deeper than in other relationships, and that doesn’t retroactively make the feelings in previous relationships invalid.

Also, one on-again-off-again girlfriend saying she never saw him have a crush before doesn’t mean he never had one, it just means she hasn’t seen it. Which... is a pretty odd choice given not long before that, she claimed to have thought they were in an exclusive relationship until she caught him sleeping around (even though she was too). We also have no real idea how long she’s known him or how often she sees him. It seems unlikely he was sleeping with her or even really associating with her when he was with the Countess, for instance.

Also, he literally follows it up by saying he has intense, passionate affairs in a manner which implies something at least a little beyond purely sexual relationships, which is, again, an odd choice if their point was he was just shagging around with no romantic feelings involved until meeting Radovid.

But by far my biggest bugbear is the claiming of ‘sapioromanticism’ as some kind of representation. Don’t drag queer-romantic people in this nonsense. Sapio ‘orientations’ are just dressed up ableism and classism with a lil racism thrown in. The common markers of intellect that get used for these ‘orientations’ are directly linked to those factors, and if you’re not talking about pre-determined definitions and markers of intellect then congrats, you’re attracted to people whose personality and understanding is compatible with yours like 90 fucking percent of people of all orientations. It’s like saying your only being interested in people who also like Star Trek or have similar political views to you is a fucking orientation

And really, if you went around saying you were sexually or romantically attracted specifically to stupid people no one would take you seriously. I have no idea why people think this is any different.

#rant #i love joey's enthusiasm and his heart is in the right place but fucking no #just no #the witcher s3 spoilers

[vesemirsexual]

You’re so fucking right about the jaskier being “bi” shit. They’re looking for representation points so they just said sapiosexual sapioromantic (what the fuck???) and made fans follow the crumbs. He is not bi (according to Netflix, we all know the bard is queer). This is the studio either being homophobic or biphobic, or outright biphobic with the “he doesn’t like labels” bullshit again. We need to stop giving them credit they didn’t earn. And with radovid? Who makes minimal appearance in the book but is a complete maniac in the games? After jaskier became the sandpiper? Really?

I think what annoys me is it falls into a greater scheme of people either adoring something so much that they will defend it regardless of any flaws vs hating something so much that they will find any way possible for it to be problematic. I get being excited to be able to validate your ship or character headcanons, but this isn’t the way forward at all.

Realistically, I think we need to consider that:

• The most that TWN has broached so far is the bait-y “and musicians” speech and the haha funny woman dwarf with a beard

• If they’ve committed to a queer romance being on-screen, then they can’t really hide behind the “not saying words to placate more conservative audiences” because they’re going to be pissed regardless

• I’m actually a TAD fan but I’m really side eyeing Joey for those sapiosexual sapioromantic comments. As far as I’m aware (I could be wrong on this one), he’s a cishet man, and if you’re going to be playing a queer character, it really seems appropriate to do your research and approach it as respectfully as possible. The sapiosexual discussion has been rehashed every few years in the greater LGBT community, and as a general rule, it’s pretty agreed upon that it’s ableist and pseudo-intellectual at minimum, and at worse you have to question the ideas of intellectualism and what you consider to be an intellectual across different regions/cultures and where exactly the entire concept is going

• Everyone is really excited to celebrate Jaskier as bi/pan and giving them a pass by saying “oh, well regardless of what they call it, it’s implied/confirmed” - stop letting productions cop out of actually saying the damn words. You’re being breadcrumbed.

#sorry to rant but I’m like come on y’all. #this honestly feels like some 2012 shit and I’m surprised it’s been so well received #katie txt

[kenobihater]

think i'm gonna put on the 25th anniversary concert in the background and just melt into the floor. my evening went from tragically despondent bc i just realized a beloved mutual deactivated to an absolute frantic flabbergasted manic posting spree about canon sapiosexual sapioromantic jaskier and jaskovid. radoskier. whatever the fuck their stupid ass ship name is gonna be.

#len speaks

[bardstune]

Name / Alias: INU Are you over 18?     Yes  /  No Is your muse over 18?   Yes  /  No When was your blog established? Few days ago.

– W R I T I N G –

Are you selective about who you write with? No (anyone)  /  Semi (most people) / Yes (some people)  /  Highly (few people - mutuals preferred) /  Private (mutuals only)

Are you selective about who you follow? No (anyone)  /  Semi (most people)  /  Yes (some people)  /  Highly (few people)

If your muse is canon, how much do you adhere to canon? Not at all  / A little  /  Some  / Mostly ( I’ve got Jaskier from the Show and Dandelion from the game and their names is how I’ll distinguish which is which. I’m also currently reading the books because of Quinn. )  /  Strictly /  Not Applicable

What post lengths do you write? One Liners  /  Single-Para  /  Multi-Para  /  Novella / All of the aforementioned

Do you use icons and/or GIFS? No  / Gifs  /  Icons  /  Yes / Sometimes

Do you write on other platforms? No  /  Yes ( Discord hi - Magic Daddy ™#4679 )

What level of plots do you write? Unplotted  /  Open-Ended Plots  /  Semi-Plotted /  Fully Plotted Epics /  All of the aforementioned

How quickly do you usually respond to threads? Very Slow (more than a month) / Slow (3-4 weeks)  /  Average (1-2 weeks)  /  Fast (less than one week)  /  Very Fast (less than three days)  /  It depends Side Note: This is very important. I have diagnosed ADHD, I used to take medication for it and I probably still should to be quite frank. I can be very fast with threads, and given my line of work I have a lot of downtime to be on tumblr. The flip side of this is the thread has to have my attention. There are times where I will lose interest, get overly distracted, or just get so excited for a different idea I’ll start 200+ threads with you and the ones that have my attention I will reply to. Sometimes I’ll need a little plotting or a reminder to reply to a thread, it’s very easy for me to miss that someone replied to something, it’s one of the reasons why communication and plotting is so very important to me. 

What types of themes do you like? Adventure / Romance / Fluff  /  Angst  / Smut /  Violence /  Tragedy (Not in a thread anyway I’ll write this for drabbles).  /  Domestic  /  Family   Side note 2: I am above the age of 18, I’m actually 25, but writing sex/smut/whatever you want to call it does make me uncomfortable. I also find it boring as hell in a thread so (back to the aforementioned side note) it’ll be a quick way for me to lose interest in a thread and drop it. I’ll write everything for it up until the actual act and then I’ll skip it all honestly. I’m completely happy with talking about how they fucked if it’s important to you but otherwise if you’re here lookin’ for the nasty, my bad boys.

WHAT GENRES DO YOU LIKE? ( Feel free to add! ) High Fantasy  /  Supernatural / Science Fiction  /  Historical  /  Horror /  Comedy  / Romantic  / Drama  / Action /  Adventure  /  Espionage / All of the aforementioned

Are there any themes you’re uncomfortable writing on your blog? (Not triggers) No  /  Yes  /  Sometimes Side note 3: See side note 2. Other then that incest, dub con, non con, suicide, I ain’t writing the real nasty shit but we can hint at it? Sexual assault happens, I just am not writing it. 

Do you have any triggers? How do you request it tagged? None here.

– S H I P P I N G –

What types of relationships are you open to? Romantic  /  Platonic  /  Familial / All of the aforementioned

What types of pre-established relationships are you open to? Romantic  /  Platonic  /  Familial / All of the aforementioned / I prefer plotting Side Note 4: All pre-established relationships, aside from things canon like Geralt and Jaskier being friends, has to be plotted. No one, not even me, can just assume our muses are banging. I believe the term for that would be god-modding. If it’s not canon, but you want it, my IM’s are open for mutals.

Do you have OTPs? No /  Chemistry Only  /  Yes

Do you have NOTPS? No  /  Yes  

What is your muse’s sexual orientation? Heterosexual  /  Heteroflexible  /  Bisexual  / Pansexual  /  Homoflexible  /  Homosexual / Demisexual /  Sapiosexual  /  ( Grey ) Asexual / Still trying to figure it out.

What is your muse’s romantic orientation? Heteroromantic  /  Heteroflexible  /  Biromantic  /  Homoflexible  /  Homoromantic   /  Panromantic /  Demiromantic /  Sapioromantic  / Aromantic / Still trying to figure it out.

Are you comfortable writing smut? No  /  Selectively /  Yes

How early in a relationship do you ship romantically? Autoship  / During plotting /  After a couple IC interactions  /  Several IC interactions / Slow burn   /  Plot dependent  /  Never   Side note 6: Our muses could just breath in each others direction and I’d ship it. I just usually don’t say anything unless we’re chatting outside of the thread. This is one of the things that makes plotting so much fun and I am a huge plotter. Obviously Geralt/Jaskier are OTP but I am open to anyone and anything so long as the muses get along. Sometimes it just happens quickly, you can see the chemistry in a few interacts or read a muses about and go yeah they’d bang them. But again, communication is key to a fun writing experience. I have social anxiety, bad, but I’m a very chatty person naturally when something excites me. If I get a few words out and you reply equally enthused--you’re in for a nightmare. I will commit to you like Jaskier does to Geralt. 

Are you open to toxic ships? No / Selectively  / Yes /  I am not sure.

Are you open to problematic ships? No /  Selectively /  Yes /  I am not sure. (I have no idea what this means)

Are you open to polyshipping? No /  Selectively  /  Yes /  I am not sure.

Are you an exclusive shipper? Never (Multi-Ship)  /  Sometimes  /  Yes * Each and every relationship falls in its own separated universe unless stated otherwise.

Does crack shipping ever happen? No  /  Yes

– T A G G I N G! –

tagged by: - tagging: @geminaeisims @ashenhaiir @hweitswulf @whitewolfofriviia

#♭♮ ┅ ⌜𝐼𝒩𝒰⌟ ╳ OOC. #|| I took this way more seriously than I needed to #|| and it got very personal wtf

[thelostgirl21]

Source

Okay, but why am I having so many feels about the fact that Joey says that the most important person in Jaskier's life is his little Pocket Size Princess?

And that he's finally figured out what matters to him most, and it's the family he's built with Geralt, Yennefer & Ciri?

#Jaskier #Ciri #Geralt of Rivia #Yennefer #Radovid #Radskier #Geraskier #Geraskefer #Jaskier's found family #The Witcher #My Posts #Sapioromantic Jaskier #Aromantic love

[thelostgirl21]

Prince Radovid and Jaskier's Lute Heart...

Prince Radovid catching Jaskier's heart after it's been thrown away, preventing it from being irreparably shattered to pieces...

Prince Radovid holding onto Jaskier's heart for a little while longer, instead of returning it right away...

Prince Radovid pleading with Jaskier to share the song in his heart...

Prince Radovid quietly following Jaskier's heart, wherever it may lead them...

Prince Radovid attentively listening to Jaskier's heart...

Prince Radovid softly asking if he can borrow Jaskier's heart...

Jaskier briefly hesitating, yet choosing to trust Prince Radovid with his heart...

Prince Radovid gently caressing the strings of Jaskier's heart, while bashfully adding his own voice and touch to the song it carries...

Prince Radovid gently holding Jaskier's heart, anxiously hoping for an answer...

Prince Radovid being loved by all of Jaskier's heart (after having touched his heart so often)...

Bonus: Jaskier's heart being hit by cupid's arrow, shortly after having met Prince Radovid (then bearing love's mark for the rest of the season), thus making Jaskier reconsider the Prince's offer to keep him and his found family safe by having them move to the Redanian Court.

Geralt retrieving Jaskier's wounded heart - making sure to safely return it to him before it gets trampled on the ground post battle - rather than leaving it behind...

[Also, in the comments of my Radskier YouTube video, someone (that kindly left a delightful review ❤️) pointed out to me that, if Radovid hadn't caught Jaskier's lute, then he likely wouldn't have had the time to get it replaced before that battle...

Meaning that, instead of just experiencing the shock of the impact, and maybe being painfully poked through his thick leather coat by the tip of the arrow that completely went through the lute and came out the other side...

Well, Jaskier would have been hit by that arrow with nothing to protect him, and possibly killed, while he was busy trying to save lives...

Thus, by saving Jaskier's lute, Radovid might have unwittingly saved Jaskier himself...]

#Jaskier #Radovid #The Witcher #Radskier #Pan Jaskier #Pansexual Jaskier #Panromantic Jaskier #Sapioromantic Jaskier #OTP: You learned my song #My posts #My stuff

[thelostgirl21]

Jaskier, The voice of the Continent,

meets

Radovid, The Voice of the Fandom...

Seriously, it's like they decided to have a character fall in love with Jaskier, and finally tell him everything we wish someone would have told him since the beginning of watching this show...

You gorgeous, loyal, empathetic, caring, devoted sapioromantic pansexual bard with a heart of gold and the voice of a freaking angel, that sees others as they are, and brings out the best in them often at your own expanse...

It was high time someone finally saw you, too - caught a glimpse of the pain and weariness you carry in your heart (yet keep downplaying and brushing aside, afraid that others would be made to feel bad about it and stop enjoying having you around to keep them entertained if they paid too much attention to it) - and took the time to remind you that you are, indeed, enough...

Radovid kept insisting for a song...

And you gave him one...

Not a song singing his own praises - with the goal or making him more sympathetic or famous to an audience (so that the world could see him and care about him the way you do)...

Not one asking him for what he yearns for, while being frustrated and heartbroken over him apparently being so set on self-sabotaging that he's unable to return the love of those that do love him...

No, for once, you decided that you were done "entertaining others", and singing about what you think they want you to sing...

Instead, you chose to sing a song about what you need and yearn for in life...

And he learned it...

Jaskier sang to him before he left the palace, and Radovid freaking learned Jaskier's song by heart, after having attentively listened to every note and every word he sang only once...

How's that for a pie without filling?

They somehow managed to turn that new ship into a whole freaking Cruise Line in just 4 episodes!

Don't get me wrong, I do love Geralt and genuinely think he was attempting to push Jaskier away out of both self-hatred and a desire to protect others from himself in Season 1... But the things he said, and the way he used to treat Jaskier, still hurt him, affected his sense of self-worth, and left some scars.

I'm therefore not drawing comparisons to bash on Geralt and Jaskier's own relationship, but because I love the healing opportunities that Radovid's hopefully genuine romantic interest in Jaskier are providing.

i.e. They better not pull some sick twist on us, by having Radovid be revealed as a cruel, scheming villain that took advantage of Jaskier's goodness, feelings, and needs for his own gain; because I've a feeling heads would be found in boxes!

Just let him have his big gay spoon, alright? Or little spoon! But I kinda want Jaskier to be the one spooned with someone firmly holding onto him with no intention of ever sending him away right now, so...

Also, what's the new name of that ship, Jaskovid? I'll go with Jaskovid...

I also found it very interesting, from a LGBTQ+ representation standpoint, that they are seemingly going the route of a polyamourous pansexual character that might be somewhere on the gray-romantic spectrum.

i.e. That Jaskier would specifically need to experience a sapioromantic connection - be attracted attracted to one's wits and insightfulness - in order for him to experience any desire to enter a romantic relationship with them.

Will Jaskier remain polyamorous, both romantically and sexually, should Radovid himself be monoamorously romantically/sexually exclusive, and the two of them choose to fully commit to their romantic connection?

I guess we'll have to see!

But I still thought it was a very nice nuance to bring to the character.

And I could see this going many different and equally interesting ways!

Jaskier could enter a deeply committed romantic and sexual relationship with Radovid, with one, or the two of them, remaining romantically and sexually non-exclusive (ex: one of my polyamorous friends has a main romantic/sexual partner that they live and share their lives with, and another one that they regularly go on romantic dates with, but without the need for them to build their lives together, or see each other as often).

Jaskier could enter a deeply committed romantic and sexual relationship with Radovid, with one, or the two of them, staying romantically exclusive, but enjoying sexual polyamory with lovers that they have no committed romantic connection to.

Jaskier could be revealed as being more ambiamorous than polyamorous, and be completely comfortable and happy being in a romantically and sexually exclusive relationship with a monoamorous partner.

As an ambiamorous panromantic demi-pansexual myself, I've personally discovered that, while I'm comfortable being in a romantic polyamorous relationship, sharing an exclusive romantic and sexual relationship doesn't feel forced, nor like I have to make any efforts and deprive myself of anything I enjoy, if I so happen to be romantically and sexually attracted to a person that isn't polyamorous.

It's like my monoamorous v.s. polyamorous instincts are naturally determined by the preferences of my romantic partner.

i.e. In the absence of any romantic connection to my sexual partners (that I do need to share a strong emotional bond with, however), however, I'm sexually polyamorous.

If the sexual desires occur in the context of a romantic connection with a monoamorous partner, I genuinely stop experiencing any sense of romantic and/or sexual attraction towards anyone else than that partner.

If the sexual desires occur in the context of a romantic connection with a polyamorous partner, however, then it's like my heart and my body will naturally remain open to forming multiple committed partnerships with other people, often with one of those romantic/sexual partnership being perceived as a domestic/life partner.

So, with Jaskier, it's perfectly possible that he might lose all interest in ever romantically and/or sexually having relationships with anyone other than Radovid, should Radovid be revealed as a being a romantically and sexually monoamorous individual himself.

Just like he could be polyamorously romantic and sexual all the way, and being unable to offer Radovid any exclusivity (which wouldn't make the romantic connection they share any less real, deep, nor valuable).

Whatever path that relationship takes, however, as long as the love and empathy between them remains genuine and real, I'll be extremely happy!

#Jaskier #Radovid #Radskier #The Witcher #Pansexual Jaskier #Pan Jaskier #Pansexuality #Sapioromantic Jaskier #Sapioromantism #Polyamorous Jaskier #Polyamory #Ambiamorous Jaskier #Vespula #Ambiamory #LGBTQ+ #The Witcher Spoilers #Please let Jaskier have found someone that genuinely loves him... #I was so happy for him that Vespula seemed to have come to terms with him being polyamourous too... #And turned out to be so supportive of it in the end #I hope they'll remain close and good friends regardless of whether they continue to occasionally sleep together or not #My thoughts #My posts #My stuff #Personal #New ships!

[thelostgirl21]

Tips for those of you that wish to enjoy Geraskier as a romantic couple, without erasing Jaskier's greyromantic (more specifically sapioromantic) identity.

Alright, here's the deal...

I've recently gone on a very long rant re: how queer baiting has conditioned most of us, in the queer community, to read any emotionally intimate friendship between two same-gender characters as romance.

Because:

A) The lack of officially acknowledged same-gender relationships on screen - in major TV shows and series that aren't specifically about LGBTQ+ themes - has put us in a situation where, if he want to enjoy any same-gender romance at all, we are forced to interpret close "officially platonic" (*cough*StormPilot*cough*) pairings as romantic couples.

B) The TV and movie industries have been purposefully encouraging such perceptions, and inserting as many "romantic cues" as they can into such same-gender "friendships", to keep their LGBTQ+ audience involved in those stories without alienating their more conservative audiences by having to depict some actual queer romances.

So, not only are non-queer people under the impression that it's perfectly typical, for same-gender friends, to constantly become so emotionally and physically close and intimate with each other that they behave as if they are almost dating while also being 100% straight.

But, they don't realize that there is barely any equivalent of straight men/women characters on screen developing such emotionally and physically intimate friendships without them inevitably "getting together" romantically at some point.

Unless one of them is already romantically taken, that is (and even there, a dreaded "love triangle" may occur and they'll still wind up together anyway!).

But, if the boy and the girl are both straight and available, and they behave as you would expect a married couple at some point, obviously they are romantically/sexually into each other! What else?!

If it's two same-gender characters, however?!

Well, it's obviously a friendship all the way (while nevertheless often heavily dousing that friendships with romantic subtext).

And sadly, the way queer baiting has been heavily messing with our perceptions of platonic vs romantic relationships is putting the aromantic community at a huge disadvantage.

What huge disadvantage, I hear you ask?

I mean, after all, if all those emotionally close and intimate relaltionships remain platonic in canon, shouldn't people on the aromantic spectrum be happy about it, and feel represented? Don't they have tons of "queerplatonic ships" to choose from, and enjoy as such?

Sadly, no.

The answer is firm and resounding NO.

Wanna know why?

Because, most of the time, whenever a relationship might read as "potentially queerplatonic", it is virtually never acknowledged as such.

It is virtually never about them.

It has absolutely nothing to do with both, or one, of those characters being on the aromantic spectrum.

When we talk about classic models of "bromances", those are virtually always occurring between two men that are assumed to be otherwise straight (or, at least, one of them is, ex: Jace Herondale & Alec Lightwood from "Shadowhunters"), or two women that are assumed to be otherwise straight (or, at least, one of them is).

When "bromances" occur between a man and a woman (I'm thinking Steve and Robin, from "Stranger Things"), it is usually because one of them is gay.

The implication and the message being sent to us with all those close friendships is thus a very clear:

"You can only achieve such emotionally close (queer)platonic friendships, and/or companionships, because you are not sexually compatible.

Otherwise, you would already be forming a romantic couple, and/or secretly longing to be in one.

If Robin wasn't a lesbian, she and Steve would obviously be dating."

And the reason why Steve and Nancy still love each other that deeply - despite no longer being a couple - is because they still have romantic feelings for each other despite Nancy also having romantic feelings for Jonathan and having chosen him as a romantic partner...

So, that has nothing to do with queerplatonic relationships, either, at all!

Also, can someone please sit these three kids down and have a good discussion regarding polyamorous relationships with them? Thank you!

So, how could anyone on the aromantic spectrum identify with those friendships, and/or feel represented by them, when they are always treated as being either "lesser than" a romance, or "a consolation price" when romance isn't an option?

That's not even bad representation, it's a complete lack of representation!

Yet aromantic love (be it defined as alterous, platonic, etc.) can be as beautiful, intense, and sincere as a romance, and there's a deep, almost spiritual connection there.

It is not "lesser than", but simply different.

The kind of emotional intimacy you share, and the way you connect together with the person you "platonically/alterously fell in love with" feels different.

The relationship dynamic you may achieve together, and the kind of commitment you may choose to make with those friends (that may even become life partners), as well as your needs and expectations, tend to be different than what would be expected of a romantic partnerships, although there can be many overlaps.

Aromantic forms of platonic/alterous love aren't a consolation price when romance isn't an option!

They deserve to be seen and treated as a first choice.

Those relationships provide a unique and profoundly valuable way of emotionally and sometimes even physically (because physical attraction can be sensual rather than sexual, and there are best friends that are comfortable enough to be sexually intimate together without any desire to form a romantic couple, too, by the way) connecting and being intimate with another person.

And what currently makes Geraskier unique in canon, is that they've established that Jaskier, at the very least, would have been 100% compatible with Geralt romantically and sexually (given he's a panromantic pansexual).

What makes the way Jaskier has been canonically falling in love with Geralt different from the usual BrOTPs the queer community are usually offered, however, is the fact that Jaskier's desires for Geralt are not romantic, but platonic in the way aromantic people are known to experience love.

Jaskier having no romantic crush for Geralt would thus not prevent him, at all, from wanting to share a loving relationship, and even perhaps queerplatonic partnership with him.

He could still love him in an amorous way. He could still yearn for sharing some sensual (or even sexual) intimacy with him.

Between having what people typically consider "purely platonic" and "purely romantic" feelings, there is a wonderful universe of affections and attractions for Jaskier and Geralt to explore together!

And aromantic people can experience the same level of heartbreak and loss upon losing their "best friend in the whole wide world" than they would a romantic partner.

I mean, when you listen to Jaskier sing:

Did you ever even care With your swords and your stupid hair?

in "Burn Butcher Burn", I've always felt like it was a callback to the very first things that Jaskier physically noticed about Geralt, and what initally sparked his (platonic? alterous? sensual? sexual? aesthetic? all of the above? other?) attraction for him!

If we compare the way Geralt and Jaskier behave together on screen with queerplatonic partners in real life, there is no proof of anything romantic going on.

I can't stress this enough.

HOWEVER, sadly, queerplatonic partnerships aren't really ever explored and acknowledged as such on screen. So, most people are very unfamiliar with them.

Instead, the TV and movie industry typically makes same-gender characters behave in an amorous manner to suggest romance and bait their queer audience.

AND it took them 4 FREAKING YEAR (we're actually a bit closer to 5 now) to confirm that Jaskier fell in love with Geralt platonically, rather than romantically, while canonically establishing Radovid as being Jaskier's very first sapioromantic crush.

This is where real life collides with fiction in a deeply heartbreaking way, to me...

Because during those 4 years, the queer community has been reading Geraskier as a romantic couple the way they've been taught and conditioned to identify queer romance on screen.

Most of them likely haven't even considered the possibility that Jaskier could have been on the aromantic spectrum, and thus "squishing" (hard) on Geralt rather than "crushing" (romantically) on him.

I don't believe that any of those fans would have had any desire to ignore and/or reject aromantic love and/queerplatonic relationships representation, if they'd known earlier on that Jaskier simply wasn't someone that experiences romantic desires (unless certain very specific conditions are met).

And 2 complete seasons is a very long time for romantic Geraskier fans to get profoundly attached to their ship, and feel somewhat gaslighted by the show's producers and writers when suddenly they're told "Oh no, they were 'just friends' all along! Nothing romantic to see here!"

(Of course, with the establishment of Jaskier as a greyromantic, they were never 'just friends' in the typical sense, but I've feeling that many fans have missed how significant Jaskier experiencing his very first crush was to the narrative.)

So, I believe that the knee-jerk response of pure disbelief that Geraskier could have been representing anything other than a romance can be expected and understood within that context.

HOWEVER, the unfortunate consequence is how that anger and disbelief has lead some fans to claiming that Geraskier can only be read as romantic.

Using some arguments such as: only someone romantically in love with Geralt could ever have experienced the level of heartbreak that Jaskier did, and written a song such as "Burn Butcher Burn", following their breakup.

I've seen some arguing that, if Jaskier's feelings had been "platonic", he wouldn't have been so hurt by their "break-up".

What those that have been shipping Geraskier romantically for over 4 years are truly expressing, I believe, is:

"Once again, I feel like I've been emotionally used and baited by the TV industry that keep on denying any romantic intent whenever they heavily layer a same-gender friendships with romantic subtext; and I can't agree with what they've done, or accept that Geraskier should be read as platonic!"

And I do hear you, I get it, I see how wrong it is that you have been made to feel that way, and I do not believe that you should be forced to embrace Geraskier as being aromantic / queerplatonic, or made to feel guilty for wishing to continue to ship Geraskier romantically.

But what I want to help you realize, is that by using such arguments, what your fellow queer siblings, on the aromantic spectrum, are hearing is:

"The way you love not only does not exist, but even if it did it can't be as strong, nor as valuable, as romantic love."

And that's not okay. The anger and hurt you feel is okay and 100% justified, but insisting that aromantics are not capable of such love, by saying that Jaskier's behavior with Geralt has always been obviously romantic, is not okay!

If you've been using those arguments before, first take the time to acknowledge how you feel, realize that you are not to blame for those feelings, remember you're still an amazing person, and take a fucking deep breath, alright?

Because you're 100% entitled to blame the people that have kept messing with your head and your perceptions through their queerbaiting practices for those mistakes you just made.

If we go purely by classic TV show queerbaiting standards, that relationship did seemingly present itself as romantic. You weren't wrong for seeing romance there.

But queerbaiting isn't real life.

Remember this: queerbaiting is not at all representative of how relationships work in reality.

In reality, you have romantic same-gender relationships that read as romantic and that are romantic.

In reality, you also have queerplatonic relationships that people often mistake as romantic, but are nevertheless queerplatonic.

In reality, queerplatonic relationships do happen between same-gender partners, but also between sexually compatible men and women, too.

In a strongly stereotyped TV and movie world, where relationships are oversimplified and watered down to follow rigid rules and expectations, canon Geraskier is a relationship that feels refreshingly real.

This is the kind of friendship I have with some of my own best friends. I know at least 5 friends (and maybe more, but they're the first 5 faces that popped to mind), for whom I've got 100% platonic feelings for, that I'd feel 100% comfortable rubbing chamomile onto their lovely bottom, alright?

On TV? Thanks to a legacy of queerbaiting, such a scene feels gay as hell!

In real life? Look, if you've pulled a muscle in your buttocks, and a massage will do you good? Pants down, my friend! Pass me that chamomile oil, I'm here for you buddy!

You're a heterosexual man and I'm a pansexual woman? I don't see how that changes anything to the task at hand! Or how that would be supposed to make me suddenly develop romantic feelings for you I've never had! You don't suddenly fall romantically in love with a best friend just because you've *gasped* "touched the butt", for frak's sake!

Just... give me a moment to recover from that ludicrous idea...

So, you want that butt massage or not, dude?

The physical contact might be affectionate, sensual, and feel intimate... but friendships are emotionally and quite often physically (though a bit more rarely sexually) intimate, too.

And demisexuals, like myself, might actually tend to favor and enjoy sensual intimacy (tender caresses, kisses, snuggles, etc.) more than they enjoy sexual intimacy, even with their romantic partners.

So, I can't blame any of you for how you might have instinctively responded to the announcement of Geraskier being canonically platonic.

But, now that it's done, and you've hopefully let that frustration out, I am inviting you to shake off all that queerbaiting conditioning, reclaim power over your own mind, and reflect on how love happens in real life, outside of those distorted TV standards.

I am inviting you to reflect on how those arguments might accidentally be invalidating the love that is experienced by another marginalized queer community.

And hopefully, bringing some measure of comfort to the aromantic community, as well, by letting them know that the vast majority of Geraskier fans that did have that knee-jerk reaction of saying "Geraskier is obviously romantic because there's no way Jaskier would have responded like this, or loved him so much, if there was no romance!" likely have been reacting that way because the TV and movie industries have been constantly "teasing them" with romance, while laughing in their faces and telling them that they are crazy for reading romance into those dynamics (hence why I'm calling it downright gaslighting)!

As aromantics, you did not deserve having your own sexual identity invalidated.

After all, I think this is literally the first time that aromantics have been offered some actual representation on a show that does not specifically revolve around queer characters or queerness, and a chance to openly explore a (queer)platonic ship where one of the two characters is an acknowledged greyromantic.

The last thing you need, is to have people come and mock Jaskier and Geralt's relationship, by saying that it can't be anything other than romance.

But, knowing where that hostile response towards the idea that Geraskier might be platonic comes from, might help you hopefully understand that the hostility wasn't meant for you, and that I'm sure the vast majority of the fans of that pairing would have been more careful, with the way they've been expressing their own hurt, if they'd realized the kind of message it sent.

Because if there are people that should understand how having their own sexuality being erased in fandom hurts - ex: whenever someone decides that they are going to start writing a canonically bisexual or pansexual characters as either straight or gay, depending on the gender of the character they are pairing them with - it should be bisexuals and pansexuals.

So, if you are unfamiliar with sapioromantism, here's what to know:

Sapioromantics are greyromantics that experience romantic attraction towards a person in response to the way they perceive that person's intellect.

This is what awakens their desire to form a romantic bond with another person and, under the right circumstances (because I'm guessing they might also need to find the other person aesthetically attractive, for example), allows them to fall romantically in love.

Otherwise, they can still fall in love with people, but platonically/alterously.

The show officially decided, this season, that Jaskier was to experience his very first crush with Radovid, feel confused about his feelings, sense that there's something different about the way he's attracted towards him, etc.

BUT there's no obligation for you to follow the show canon when it comes to Geraskier.

There's no obligation, at all, to give up on Geraskier as a romantic ship or pairing.

The fact is that Geralt is a deeply intelligent and insightful man, too. So, it's not unrealistic that a sapioromantic could have been attracted to that side of him, and fallen in love with Geralt romantically as well.

Yennefer is another smart, brilliant woman that can absolutely be romantically shipped with a sapioromantic.

There are many, many different types of intelligence, and what Radovid appears to specifically be displaying is more specifically high levels of emotional/relational intelligence, true.

But that's how the show decided to portray the specifics of Jaskier's sapioromantism.

And you won't be erasing a character's sexual identity if you decide to have your own version of Jaskier romantically connecting with other forms of intelligence.

People mention that Geralt, in the books, uses way more words than on the show, and would apparently rather discuss philosophy with Jaskier, at times, than hunt monsters.

You won't be disrespecting or erasing the aromantic community if you make Jaskier become romantically attracted to other models of human intellect.

You really don't have to accept Geraskier as a platonic ship after having grown attached to them as romantic partners for over 4 years! I don't believe it would ever be fair to ask that of you or even remotely necessary!

And, as far as I'm concerned, I'd never dare tell you that you "misread" Geraskier as romantic. I think Joey Batey might have been exploring the idea of Jaskier being an aromantic or greyromantic seeking a queerplatonic relationship with Geralt since seasons one, yes...

However, as he said in interviews, he had never received any clear answer regarding his portrayal of Jaskier's queerness before Season 3.

So, you couldn't really have "misread" something they hadn't fully made up their minds about now, could you?

Queerplatonic relationships do often read as romantic, too, as they tend to share many similarities.

What hurts, is when Jaskier's behavior and the strength of his love for Geralt is being used as proof that his emotions can't be platonic, and/or ignore that Jaskier is being portrayed as a greyromantic in Season 3.

Aromantic representation matters.

I'm therefore hoping that we can find the right balance between allowing everyone to ship their favorite character(s) with who they want romantically if they need to; while at the same time avoiding to erase Jaskier's sapioromantism, and/or arguing that platonic/alterous attractions can't be as important nor as strong as romantic attractions.

I think with a little empathy, the queer community can find the right point of balance between everyone's needs, and be given the opportunity to ship and enjoy Geraskier (queer)platonically and romantically, without invalidating Jaskier's sexuality in the process either way.

I know this post is similar to that other one I'd made, but I've heard few a-spec people saying that they'd had to stop following certain fans, because of the way those fans were were aggressively arguing that it was impossible for Jaskier to have been loving Geralt platonically in Season 1 and Season 2.

And so, I felt it needed to be said again, with this time giving a bit more importance to the aromantic side of that issue, and offering fans that ship Geraskier as a romantic pairing some information on what sapioromantism is, and how you can make Jaskier's greyromantic identity work as part of your own romances and headcanons.

You could decide to have Jaskier experience romantic feelings for the very first time with Geralt (instead of Radovid), and be adorably awkward about it! The possibilities are pretty much endless!

I just hope you can realize that what's happening on the show is not yet again another case of "Stormpilot" or "Stucky", or any other same-gender straight guys acting queer together!

Geraskier is canonically queer. Possibly queerplatonic, but most definitely queer, because Jaskier is a pan greyromantic that fell in love with Geralt in a platonic/alterous way, and might have experienced sensual and sexual desires for him.

It's a queer ship, regardless of whether you ship them platonically or romantically.

Personally, I think I'm likely to enjoy

But that is entirely up to you.

Just please be mindful that, when you start mocking the idea of Jaskier and Geralt having platonic feelings for each other, you are ridiculing a canonically queer ship, as well as the type of love experienced by a canonically queer greyromantic character, though.

This is what I have a problem with.

And no, saying "Well, I can headcanon that Jaskier isn't a greyromantic because he hadn't come out as greyromantic in Season 1 and Season 2, so I'll continue to write him as being able to fall romantically in love with anyone!" is not okay.

Back in 2012, when Mass Effect 3 came out, Kaidan Alenko was revealed to be a canonically bisexual character, available to be romanced by both fem!Shep and m!Shep.

However, since some women were uncomfortable with Kaidan's bisexuality, they decided to continue writing him as straight in fanfiction arguing that, because he could only be romanced by fem!Shep in ME1 (and everyone had thus assumed he was straight since 2008) they were allowed to continue to write him as straight, and ignore the character having been established as bisexual in the 3rd game.

Yet, the fact that Kaidan is bisexual, rather than straight, does not create any obstacle for him to be in a romance with fem! Shep!

There is no rational reason to headcanon him, or continue writing him, as a straight character moving forward once he's come out as bisexual!

"Well, my Kaidan Alenko is straight!"

Congratulations! You are expressing a biphobic view of the character!

Understandingly, the bisexual and pansexual communities were angry about it, and called them out on it.

So, let's not put the aromantic community through the same thing, shall we?

Because there is absolutely no reason to ignore Jaskier being on the aromantic spectrum while romantically pairing him with Geralt, Yennefer, or even both!

If you purely go by the books or the games, it's another story. They have their own canon.

But if you are writing / using the TV show character, Jaskier being a sapioromantic has been made canon, and is not creating any obstacle for him to experience romantic love for other characters than Radovid.

Other characters are plenty intelligent enough to realistically spark a sapioromantic connection with him, should you wish to!

Have Jaskier be intrigued/enamored with some of their intellectual features, and you'll be doing just fine.

If you're unsure how to do that, simply ask.

Ex: once that romantic spark has been ignited, you don't need to have the character continue to constantly obsess about the other character's intellect... I'm demisexual, and I don't keep obsessing about how trustworthy I find my sexual partner to be, despite the fact that my own sexual desires are usually "sparked" by a deep sense of trust/emotional safety with the other person.

There is also the notion that you can occasionally find yourself with an exception that feels different without the character themselves knowing why. Ex: a friend that identified as a lesbian (romantically and sexually) found herself desiring a man for the first time and, to this day, she still has no clue what was special about THAT man, but she decided to go with her instincts rather than "Oh no! It doesn't fit my label or established orientation, and therefore I shall skip a chance at romantic love and sex with this wonderful man!"

You want to introduce a bit of flexibility to Jaskier's sapioromantic instincts? You can do it respectfully, while still finding a way to point out, in your writing, that him having a crush on Geralt, Yennefer, or [insert name of the character here] is still an uncommon occurance.

You can enjoy what you love, without erasing a canonically queer character's identity to suit your own romantic narrative, is basically what I'm saying.

And you can enjoy your own romantic ship, especially, without mocking or belittling a canonically queer aromantic ship (Geraskier).

The rest is 100% up to you!

Our sweet aromantic sisters, brothers, and non-binary siblings deserve some love and visibility, too. And to enjoy things that have been made canonically theirs without becoming the unfortunate casualties of other people's disappointment.

If you hadn't realised canon Geraskier was a queer ship, and/or understood/noticed that Jaskier was being portrayed as a greyromantic that experiences romantic attraction for the first time in Season 3, it's okay.

Once again, I'm not taking the time to explain all this to blame those that jumped on the "b-but... Jaskier so obviously has romantic feelings for Geralt!" conclusion.

Had they been a sexually straight man and woman on a TV show, chances are they'd be "romantic endgame" or at least go through a "romantic phase" (a practice that is deeply wrong and damaging, too, IMHO, and does not allow to properly represent what platonic / alterous love is, and/or offer queerplatonic relationships any actual visibility), yes.

And, like every instance of queerbaiting, it ended up with the close emotional and physical intimacy between them not leading to any romantic conclusion.

But it did lead to a very much queer conclusion, and Jaskier having been portrayed as a character that fell in love with Geralt aromantically, thus being highly representative of a queer community.

This is that "but" that I sincerely hope you now understand, and will be treating with the same care and respect that you want others to show the representation of your own sexuality.

If you are a fellow panromantic/pansexual, or even bisexual, omnisexual, polysexual, etc. Yes, the representation also affects you / is close to you.

But Jaskier has been canonically established as more than pan. He's also a-spec on the romantic side, and it's actually the first label that Batey used to describe his romance with Radovid.

That his romantic desires be triggered specifically by the way he connects with a person's intellect, rather than their gender, matters to the community it represents.

Now that it has been brought to your attention, please do not lose sight of that over your own joy of him being queer, and romantically/sexually compatible with men. It's all I'm humbly asking of you.

#Jaskier #Geralt of Rivia #Geraskier #The Witcher #Aromantic #representation #Sapioromantic Jaskier #Greyromantic Jaskier #Pan Jaskier #Pansexual Jaskier #Panromantic Jaskier #My Post #My thoughts #Personal #LGBTQ+ #Queerplatonic #relationships #Platonic love #Being #Queer #Queer shipping issues

[thelostgirl21]

"My number-one priority, which I said to her, was just to make sure that we were doing it right and that we did it sensitively with a care and a kinship, and I wanted to avoid all kinds of stereotyping, really. So there was an awful lot of script rewrites and things like that. We deleted whole scenes in favour of songs. So I brought in a new song, and I said: 'Can we just cut all this dialogue, and I can just sing something?'" - Joey Batey, Digital Spy interview

The first time I watched that scene, when Jaskier started singing that last part to Prince Radovid:

Of them, I’ve had enough. With you, I have enough. With you, I am enough. I am… I am enough...

I literally started crying. Because, although it's played for laughs, since the beginning of the show, Jaskier's often been portrayed like this "annoying character" that tries too hard to be liked, wanted, and involved in his friends' lives... to find his "forever home"...

But often, he just gets punched in the gut, blamed for everything going wrong in other people's lives, gets told off when he tries to introduce himself or be included in moments where people are there to offer each other comfort (but apparently want none from him) as a result...

Season 2 started to make some progress on that, with Yennefer and Geralt allowing themselves to show more vulnerability around him, and telling him that his help his needed...

Season 3 saw characters that are usually so quick to dismiss him and treat him harshly (ex: Yarpen Zigrin) actually thank him, when they realize how selfless Jaskier can be, and the risks he is willing to take to help others (even those that treat him like an annoying nuisance)...

But still, he'd gotten used, at some point, to being "barely tolerated" rather than "wanted". And his "break up" with Geralt broke his heart and hurt him so much that, although forgiven, I believe it did leave some scars...

As someone with ADHD (that has a tendency to get overexcited about a bunch of things without noticing that it doesn't interest people, impulsively interrupt them with my thoughts, follow them around, and "impose my presence" without meaning to) and associated rejection sensitive dysphoria, Jaskier's behavior and emotional responses are something very easy for me to identify with.

And having him sing "With you I am enough. I am enough," hit me right in the feels, in the most cathartic way!

Prince Radovid is the first person we met on the show, I think, that was shown as being immediately happy to meet Jaskier, wished to adopt that puppy and bring him home right away, saw him as being irresistible and special, envied Geralt for having Jaskier as a friend/companion, couldn't get enough of his singing, and listened when he talked to the things he didn't say...

Knowing that it is Joey himself that just decided to basically show up to work with that song he'd written, and ask if he could sing it instead of using the dialogue in the script, just ended up offering yet another layer to that scene.

When hearing him sing:

"It’s not a want, it’s a need, it is paying no heed to what others say to sing."

now, I can't help but feel like there's some kind of "meta" dimension to those lyrics, as the actor chose to sing what he - as the person embodying Jaskier - wanted to sing, rather than what had been scripted and what others would have wanted him to sing.

That song feels deeply personal, born out of a very intimate understanding of the character, and how being treated the way that he used to be treated would have emotionally and psychologically affected him.

I'll be 100% honest, when Joey was talking about the sapioromantic connection between the characters, and explaining how Radovid wore a mask, was a bit of a mystery to him, and how Jaskier would become fascinated and wish to figure him out...

...I was genuinely concerned that they'd somehow manage to "romanticize" yet another toxic relationship, where the two characters would constantly be trying to outsmart and play mind games with each other.

But that's not it at all. They are both seeing what they try so hard to hide from others. Prince Radovid's environment is highly toxic and dysfunctional (as Jaskier aptly described, he's stuck in a vipers' den) - knowing too much, or not enough - can mean life or death for him.

Whereas Jaskier tries so hard to meet expectations and be what others need or want him to be - give voice to other people's issues, stories and problems - that he all but becomes invisible to others himself as a process.

Sure, they know his name and his songs. But they don't know Jaskier's own soul or story. He fades away in the background for the benefit of others.

They are both trying to figure each other out not because they are people that enjoy indulging in court intrigues, manipulating others, and dominating "the game" for their own gain...

They are trying to emotionally connect with the good, beautiful, and vulnerable parts of themselves that they have been forced to hide from the rest of the world to survive.

They are highly insightful empathetic individuals using their gifts on each other to empower each other, rather than malignant narcissists using their perceptiveness to control each other.

This is an extremely refreshing and healthy relation dynamic that I was sort of hoping for - since Joey put so much emphasis on how important it was for him to offer a relationship that may be flawed, but handled sensitively and carefully without resorting to stereotypes - but this totally went above and beyond my expectations!

If Joey Batey himself isn't queer, then he's got such a capacity for love and emotional empathy that he's apparently able to care about queer issues with the intensity and insightfulness of someone that has experienced them.

The fact that he's using queer labels and sub-categories that are often lesser known by people outside of the LGBTQ+ community to describe Jaskier's sexuality (sapioromantic, panromantic or pansexual...), as well as talking about issues affecting non-monosexuals, such as the desire to avoid bisexual erasure, brings some much needed attention towards the richness and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community!

I sincerely couldn't be happier, or more grateful...

Apparently, there are plans to further explore Ciri's bisexuality, too, with the introduction of Mistle in Season 3!

Here's hoping they'll be using Jaskier as "queer consultant" for the other queer romances on the show...

Also, the relationship between our sweet Bi!Ciri and her weird Pan!Uncle Jaskier means everything to me...

I'm trying to remember if Ciri has been exposed to any models of queer romances in her life...

I mean, most unions between princes and princesses, or kings and queens, are often political alliances. They might have same gender consorts, but I'm not sure that this is something they would have educated younger princesses about, or made very "public".

I sort of want to have her catch Jaskier and Radovid while they are kissing at some point, and realize that the innocent crush she had on Triss in Season 2 is something that is perfectly normal, and that she shouldn't be afraid nor ashamed of that part of herself.

Maybe even go to him and start asking him questions about it... That would be a very thoughtful and sensitive way to explore what being queer means in the world of the Witcher; having Ciri learn, directly from Jaskier, about the potential risks associated with being in an openly gay relationship.

There would really be such an opportunity for the two of them to continue to bond over something like this, and Ciri would know that she's got someone that genuinely loves her and that she can trust to support her and the choices she makes regarding her love life in the future, no matter what.

I can see so many possibilities, though I'm trying to be cautiously optimistic about this (since if they went that route, it would just seem too good to be true!)...

#Jaskier #Pan Jaskier #Pansexual Jaskier #The Witcher #Radskier #Pansexuality #Radovid #OTP: You Learned My Song #Extraordinary Things #Panromantic Jaskier #Panromantism #Sapioromantic Jaskier #Sapioromantism #Bisexual Ciri #Bisexuality #LGBTQ+ #The Witcher Spoilers #Queer representation #done right... #Thus far at least! #My Posts #My Stuff #My Thoughts #Videos #Feels! #All the freaking feels! #Love and Diversity win! #Best way to conclude Pride Month!

[thelostgirl21]

Insp.

#Jaskier #Radovid #The Witcher #Radskier #Sassy Gay Friend #Inspired #Disaster Pan Friend #Of course there's no guarantee he won't take a villainous turn #But still! #Pan Jaskier #Pansexual Jaskier #Panromantic Jaskier #Sapioromantic Jaskier #My Posts #My Stuff

[thelostgirl21]

You know, one very pervert effects of queer baiting, I'm discovering, is that the queer community has been so used to look for any hint at maybe romance they can find, to satisfy their own 100% healthy need to connect with romantic partnerships in fiction, that when two same gender characters share profound bonds of love, emotional and physical intimacy (perhaps even have the occasional sex together), seek companionship, enjoy going on adventures together, would probably be willing to freaking die for each other, etc.

Well, when the show or people on the show attempt to say "no, this is a friendship", the reaction is to go "who are you trying to fool? This is obviously romance! No people that are 'just friends' would behave in such a way!"

Meanwhile, demisexual me, that can't sexually desire anyone unless I share deep bonds of trust and emotional intimacy with them (but not necessarily have any romantic desires for them), and thus has had a habit of more often seeking sexual intimacy with people I wasn't romantically attracted to (because it can sometime take a while for me to develop the kind of emotional connection I need with a romantic interest to find them sexually desirable as well)...

AND who has a very easy time "turning herself off" someone (in terms of sexual desires) when that sexual attraction isn't reciprocated...

Knows that romance and friendships aren't as clear cut, or black and white, as people often appear to believe them to be.

Society will teach you stuff like "sexual/physical desires occur as a result of 'falling in love' or 'finding someone sexually appealing'..."

They don't teach you "you can have no romantic desires for someone, yet feel so emotionally close to them you'll have a seemingly irresistible need to fuck them!"

They don't say "you can yearn for romantic love with a person, yet experience no need to sexually connect with them until you can trust them as much as you do your friends".

They don't tell you "you will meet friends, in your life, that may of may not return your sexual desires (should you have them), that you'll have absolutely no remote interest to have them as boyfriend/girlfriend, that you'll nevertheless want to share a part of your soul with, make a lifelong connection, be fiercely loyal and devoted to each other, perhaps even move in together for a time at some point, consider them your found family, share specific interests in common that will feel like something that exclusively belongs to you two, and whose rejection would make you feel like they were tearing your very soul apart and near kill you!"

If you want one absolutely gorgeous example of a strong platonic emotional connection (that used to involve a one-sided potentially non-platonic attraction), Jace and Alec, from Shadowhunters, are a gorgeous example of that.

My friendships are typically fierce, deep, epic, heart-shattering and world-ending!

I've been known to endlessly agonize (my boyfriend was getting worried, because I could barely sleep, had little to no appetite, and often look like I was physically in pain) over a best friend that I'd always been extremely close to (but never felt sexually attracted to), who had started to emotionally distance herself from me, and treat some of the personally traits she'd always claimed to find "charming" and "refreshing" about me as suddenly "annoying", after she met her girlfriend (that would eventually become her wife).

*Spoilers alert* We eventually talked things through, and reconciled, although the exact nature of our relationship did indeed need to evolve and change a bit to adapt...

And Jaskier is talking about the fact that he loves Geralt platonically *NOW*.

According to Joey Batey, Jaskier is sapioromantic. Technically this would mean that he would be a gray-romantic, and seldom experience any desire to form a romantic connection with people.

He can desire them sexually, can immediately "fall in love with them" and start following them around like an adoring, excited puppy dog (I think that's definitely what happened with Geralt).

He might want to share his mind, his thoughts, and strongly emotionally bond with them.

He might year for human connections that bring him a sense of thrill and adventure, that inspire his creativity, and might entice him to enter a form of companionship with them.

But not necessarily share a romance with them.

And sadly, while I believe that Geralt's own affections for Jaskier were genuine, the way he experienced them appeared a bit different (and hindered by his own trauma) - possibly because of his awareness that having Jaskier following him around put him at risk.

But then, the moment Jaskier started singing about Geralt, people took notice and started targeting Jaskier to get to him.

After what happened with Rience, I think Geralt realized that there was no going back for them.

The best way to protect Jaskier is to fully let him in, and treat the bond they share together with value and respect - keep him close to himself and his family.

I'm pretty sure that whenever Jaskier is being asked to watch over Ciri, both Geralt and Yennefer are doing so because they feel better knowing that Ciri is there to keep him safe, too.

At least when Jaskier is with Ciri, then he's not running off to who knows where getting himself into trouble!

And if trouble does come to find them, then they'll have each other.

As Ciri's uncle, Jaskier can troll Ciri's parental figures (Yennefer and Geralt) with her, playfully mock their flaws, side with her against them on certain issues, and openly tease them (how are Geralt's smiling lessons going?).

At times, he can also argue her parents' side with her (ex: when the daughter is frustrated of being kept out of certain situations, or told she's not ready for something yet).

And she's more likely to listen to him. Because those aren't his rules, he often takes her side, and he may openly acknowledge that he finds those rules extremely frustrating, too!

Therefore, she can listen to him without feeling like she's got to assert her own independence from them.

Jaskier has the advantage of being able to support Geralt and Yennefer's decisions, while looking like he's doing so entirely on the belief they they are sound, based on his own external assessment of a situation.

Not because Geralt or Yennefer have any authority over him, and he's forced to agree.

Jaskier may not be able to fight and physically protect Ciri (hence, the forcefield).

But he can offer significant protection by reducing the risks of Ciri doing something brash and impulsive, now and in the future, by simply being there with her and for her.

And Ciri's own needs - as a highly trained warrior - to make sure that Jaskier is safe, will make it easier for her to accept that she's got to stay put with him, at times she'd rather follow Geralt and Yennefer into action, too.

Geralt own encouragement of Jaskier and Ciri developing their own familial bond together would not be happening if Geralt didn't consider Jaskier family, and wasn't deeply attached to him.

Platonic or not, that level of attachment, love, and trust matters, and becomes a part of yourself.

Jaskier didn't let Prince Radovid inside the cottage - where Ciri slept - and he didn't tell him why he couldn't let him in, either.

His romantic interest in Radovid is new. It is a growing attraction and affection that is still in its infancy, and he's still unsure of just how far Radovid is to be trusted.

That relationship is not meant to replace, nor take away anything, from what he and Geralt share and have shared.

And if Radovid is, indeed, to love him, then he'll need to accept that Jaskier doesn't exist in a vacuum and that his heart is big enough for a group of people.

Like Radovid said, Jaskier doesn't just see people, he sees the best in them...

And he falls in love with what he sees in them...

Jaskier loves a lot!

Some people, upon becoming romantically interested in someone, will suddenly shift their focus towards them, and seek to isolate themselves with their prospective romantic mate for a while (like what happened with my friend when she got her girlfriend, and what was happening with Geralt each time Yennefer showed up)!

Whereas when I become romantically involved with someone, my instinct is not to put the emotionally intimate friendships I have aside in favor of romance.

My instinct is to share that romance with my friends, try to include my romantic partner within that tight knit group of people, and give everyone a chance to get to know each other.

I don't put friendships aside for romance. That's not how my heart works. What I share with each friend is unique, can't be replaced, and each loss is experienced as viscerally as that of a romantic partner.

Am I saying those things to you because I believe that those of you that are adamant that Geraskier was played out on screen as a romance are wrong?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

Quite the opposite.

What I'm saying, is that what queer baiting has viciously stolen from us the ability to fully enjoy and explore the full range and complexities of human friendships.

I'm decrying and condemning a practice, that has literally conditioned us to see non-romantic sexual attraction, platonic love and companionship (that yes, can 100% transcend romance), and all their nuances, specificall as "romance"; given that's usually the only "romance" we'll be allowed to get!

Because the type of friendship I'm describing has been over-represented in literature, TV, movies, musicals, and video games between same gender characters.

In a world where same gender romances are viewed negatively, we've been forced to accept "deeply intimate platonic relationships" as the only substitute being offered to us to open the joy of watching an openly acknowledged queer romance on screen (that doesn't end in tragedy)

We've been forced to learn to "read between the lines" to identify the signs that there may be "something more", and make those romances real in our imagination.

Each time I see people go "making that relationship queer would send the horrible, negative, and terrible message that all close friends of the same gender are romantically attracted to each other! That men being close friends is gay!"

I don't know whether to laugh or to cry!

It's the complete opposite!

If, the only way you are allowed to communicate gay intent with a queer audience, is by showing two "close friends" sharing together an emotionally and physically intimate connection of "non specified nature" to replace romance, then EVERY CLOSE, INTIMATE FRIENDSHIP AUTOMATICALLY BECOMES GAY!!!

How are we supposed to tell the difference between "strong platonic love and companionship" and "strong romantic love and companionship" when you refuse to give an answer, or you give us an answers, while continuing to crank up on the romantically intimate elements while HOPING to keep us hooked on the POSSIBILITY of the romance, to avoid losing viewers?!

Canonically, same gender friendships on TV go from being casual friends, to friends that regularly eye fuck each other, share their most intimate thoughts and feelings together, couldn't live without each other, and rub chamomile onto their best friend's lovely bottom while helping them bathe naked.

Whereas canonical friendships between men an women on TV go from casual friends, to deeply emotionally and physically intimate bonds if the friendship is between a woman and a gay man (to remove any chance of them developing romantic and/or sexual feelings towards each other, that would "muddy" the friendship and "ruin its chances of success"), to possibly a brotherly/sisterly bond at times, when one of them has found themselves a romantic partner and, thus, isn't available as a love interest.

Most of the time, though, one of them might be secretly "pinning" and "in love" with their best friend, and "secretly suffering" that the other person is comfortable with them being so emotionally close together without being "in love" with them, too!

Straight relationship drama will teach us that sneezing in your best friend's direction means you are romantically/sexually attracted to them, for frak's sake!!!

Let us try an exercise, just for fun.

Let us replace Jaskier with Yennefer.

Imagine that the first time she met him, she was immediately smitten at the sight of him, and offered to follow Geralt to the end of the world on his adventures!

Imagine that despite his efforts to tell her off - even after he punched her in the guts - she kept insisting, and Geralt started really warming up to her.

Imagine that she decided that she wanted him to accompany him to a ball for protection, because highborn wives were upset that she kept sleeping with their own husbands, brothers, and sons.

Imagine that, when she spoke about her being Geralt's best friend in the whole wide world, Geralt answered "We're not friends", and Yennefer answered "Oh, really? You usually just let strangers rub chamomile onto your lovely bottom?".

Imagine that Geralt's response to that was simply to ask "How many of these ladies want to kill you?", thus acknowledging he'd been busted.

How many straight people out there, do you think, would find themselves reading their deep, canonical, platonic connection and comfort with being so physically intimate with each other as a "friendship without any romantic element", do you think?

How many would openly argue that we just want to make everything about romance, and send the message that best male and female friends can't just rub chamomile onto each other's butts without any intent or attraction!

Oh, they can, I'll tell you that!

I've been blessed with becoming friends with wonderful non-toxic 100% straight male specimen that I would gladly trust to shoot artistic nudes of my body without feeling objectified by them, that I feel absolutely comfortable snuggling up to on a couch while watching a movie, and that are extremely good at respecting my personal boundaries and the friendship I have to offer them.

As someone who is pan, I have never treated any of my friendships with men, women, or any other gender identities differently.

I've never had that sense of "I feel safer being more intimate with my women friends than I do my men friends, because they don't risk misinterpreting my desires to be physically and emotionally close to them as a romantic or sexual interest instead."

However, have men ever tried to convinced me that I "couldn't possibly just want them as friends" when I was so comfortable being emotionally and physically (hugs, holding hands, playing in one's hair, caressing one's arms, leaning your head on one's shoulder while watching TV, etc.) close with them?

Absolutely!

For some, those were clear signs, or ways to express, romantic/sexual attraction, and there were no other ways to read them.

Needless to say, I did not keep those men as friends.

Well, I kept those that found it a bit "weird" and unusual, sure, but were nevertheless able to believe me, respect my boundaries, and adapt to the fact that this is who I am.

I'm unable to conceive why relationships dynamics should change depending on the gender we're with.

I also kept around any man that admitted that they had a bit of a crush on me, and that any physically intimate contact between us would just reinforce their romantic desires.

I have wonderful friends that are touch adverse, too, and our relationship is based on emotional and intellectual intimacy without any hugs or physical contact.

They are extremely dear to me, and just as valuable to my eyes as any other friendships I have, too.

But that's the whole point. There are no actual strict rules regarding the actual boundaries of all the different types of love you might experience for others people

The only thing that matters is the ability for all adults involved to offer consent, and being dedicated to your platonic, romantic, and/or sexual partner(s) emotional and physical well-being and safety as well.

If you can't separate romance from sex, or even physical intimacy, that's okay.

We'll find the right balance between our respective needs and what we can offer each other.

But society tends to present stereotyped models of men and women friendships, where as soon as they reach a certain level of emotional and physical intimacy together, then they automatically realize that "OMG!!! We were romantically in love all along without realizing it!!!" Even worse, when they are "friends with benefits!"

In fiction, "friends with benefits" relationships are usually nothing but a romantic relationship between two people unable to acknowledge their true romantic desires for each other.

They will inevitably become jealous the moment that their friend with benefits finds themselves a romantic partner (that is often totally wrong for them! Allowing the "friend with benefits" to "swoop in to save the day and show that they are perfect for each other!"), and there's this looming threat of them no longer continuing to be able to sleep together on the horizon.

Of course, there's a risk that a friend you're sleeping with might become jealous when you enter a romantic relationship!

If the whole physically intimate dimension of your friendship has been built on your sexual activities, and you haven't taken the time to invest in other platonic forms of physical contact, to make sure that the "loss of sex" won't feel like you are removing anything important from the emotional bond you two share, of course your friend will struggle! DUH!

And if you used to see each other twice a week, and now keep on cancelling your plans you'd normally make with them, to go on dates with your "new and shiny romantic interest" - acting as if the time you were devoting to them was just a "poor substitute" for a romance - of course you'll make them suffer!

If you are having sex with a friend that you love with all your heart and soul, and wish to remain bonded to them in a platonic manner after you've found someone that you're romantically attracted to, make sure that you're able to fully commit to that friendship...

Because being friends with benefits is indeed complex, requires very high levels of communication, compersion, honesty, emotional support, flexibility, and above all trust.

I've been friends with benefits with people I loved in a non-romantic way not because I was afraid of commitment, but because I'm able to fully commit to my friendships and treat them with the same care, respect, and consideration as I would a romantic partners.

And those relationships do work.

Hence why I'm hoping that, should Jaskier become romantically involved with Radovid, and discover that he loses any interest for being sexually active with other people while romantically attached to someone, he and Vespula will still be occasoinally seen spending time being emotionally and physically close with each other (or that they'll at least mention something hinting that they do).

That she'll remain a close friend. That he'll still go knock on her door in the evening while in town just to lounge around, play her songs, and share thoughts.

It's been made rather clear that she does "mean something to him".

He may not be romantically attracted to her, but it's been made rather clear that he cares about her enough to regularly return to her (and perhaps even live with her for certain periods of time).

She spoke about having had some "fun on the side", too, implying that they might be each other's "main sexual pairing", at the very least.

The idea of Jaskier being dishonest with her - of him trying to manipulate her into believing that she means more to him that the other people he's slept with while he was traveling away from her - really doesn't sit well with me, at all.

I don't think Jaskier is someone that likes to play with people's feelings.

And he wouldn't have been discussing Radovid with her if he didn't value her input, either...

He might have been in denial regarding him having a "crush" on Radovid, in part because romantic desire doesn't come to him easy and his own fears of what him being attracted to him might mean...

But he was trusting her to listen and give him some feedback on his thoughts...

Jealously comes from fearing loss...

If Jaskier abandons Vespula because he's found Radovid, then her fears of being replaced will have turned out to be entirely justified...

So, whatever happens, I hope he does right by her.

Another aspect that I find interesting about the aspect of Jaskier's sapioromantism (i.e. of him only being capable of experiencing a need for sharing a romantic connection with people whose intellect he's attracted to), is that there are different types of intelligence.

I've a feeling that Jaskier's own "brain type" is people that are displaying high levels of emotional and relational intelligence, most of all!

Because Radovid oozes emotional and relational insightfulness...

Whereas Geralt is brilliant... But he is a bit of emotionally stunted goat.

So, he may not be romantically appealing to Jaskier; but I bet his bloated biceps that, in term of "love and devotion", he's likely one of the, if not the, most important person in Jaskier's life.

So I'm sincerely not explaining all of this to you to tell you that you are delusional about Jaskier loving Geralt romantically, and that everything you've read and interpreted as being romantic between them since the beginning is incorrect, far from it!

But I'm heartbroken, and somewhat angry, that queer baiting - combined with a lack of appropriate representation of deep, platonic, physically intimate friendships between two sexually compatible men and women - has created such a reality where Geraskier not being canon will make some of the fans of that ship feel like we are sending them the message that they've been reading those signals wrong yet again.

That there's something wrong with them for being unable to read those signals as being platonic between two men anymore.

No. We carefully taught you and continuously trained you to read those signals as being romantic, to maintain you as a captivated audience on various TV shows, while making sure to avoid angering people that see the world of romance and friendship as a rigid heterosexual black and white structure.

Can Geraskier be read as platonic?

My own personal interpretation made with my own set of biases and filters?

In the context of someone that Joey Batey mentioned experiences sapioromantic panromantic attraction, and pansexual attraction?

I would be inclined to think that Jaskier fell in love (without romantic desires), and was possibly sexually attracted to him the very second his eyes fell on Geralt.

He felt a strong emotional pull that made him want to get to know him more in depth emotionally and intellectually, share his adventures, and become involved in his life.

He saw the person Geralt truly was behind all of his own pain, abandonment/attachment issues, and trauma, and genuinely felt a deep empathetic connection towards him.

He loved that wounded Witcher so much, and his own unhappiness touched him so deeply, that he tried to change the way that the world saw him.

He sang songs that painted him as a hero rather than a butcher. He provided him with opportunities to be loved and admired by people, and well compensated for his services.

He felt Geralt's need to be loved and wanted ("Maybe someone out there will want you"), and tried to help him heal his own broken heart.

But Jaskier partially* put aside his own needs in doing so, pushed and tried too hard, kept waiting for Geralt to finally recognize that denying himself from what he truly wanted and needed in his life - companionship, a family, people that wanted him - was only slowly eating away at his humanity...

...and he got badly burned for his efforts. *Im saying "partially", because when we met Jaskier, he was being booed and thrown food at... So, I think he was also rather familiar with the feeling of being unwanted and rejected by people, and they were two misplaced souls that didn't really fit anywhere that found each other...

It's the "Butcher" - the uncaring, unfeeling, emotionally disconnected false persona that Geralt has been so set on holding onto - that Jaskier wished Geralt would have finally been able to let go of, and burn to the ground!

I tend to hear "Burn Butcher Burn" not as a "scorned lover song", per say but as a last desperate loving cry for Geralt to let "the Butcher" in him burn!

I think that any sexual attraction that Jaskier might have felt towards Geralt upon meeting him would have eventually fizzled away when he realized that Geralt himself wasn't in a good enough emotional and physical place to be interested in being sexually intimate with him (and/or was possibly straight).

But I doubt it would have changed a lot to his feelings or level of attachment towards him, because Jaskier's always loved Geralt, and sought to emotionally connect with him, way more than he ever sexually wanted him.

And I believe that, while he was able to forgive him for his harsh worlds ("I forgive you for your foolish words and deeds. Your lack of faith and hope. Your obstinacy. Doggedness. For your sulking and posing, which are unworthy of a man."), in order for Jaskier to be romantically attracted to him, Geralt would need to demonstrate a heavier dose of emotional intelligence and insightfulness than he's been able to openly demonstrate him thus far.

And, in order to be sexually attracted to him, Jaskier would need Geralt to be the one showing him some interest first.

The love, loyalty, and attachment is still there, though, bright as ever, and filled with more hope for Geralt than Jaskier used to have for him, I think.

And I think that Jaskier has very strong levels of compersion for Geralt and Yennefer, and is finding genuine happiness in seeing them share a healthy romantic and sexual relationship together, too.

But, I'm basing that analysis on what's been revealed about Jaskier now, not what we knew about the character back then.

You can make it work, and interpret what we've been shown thus far of Geraskier with little efforts, when your own way of of experiencing friendships and romance doesn't really fit the usual social models, but you really shouldn't have to do that.

It's easy for me to move forward, embracing Radskier as my main romantic ship for Jaskier, and Geraskier as my favorite platonic now more "brotherly" (but still occasionally romantic) one for him, but I fully expect some Geraskier fans to mourn, feel like they've been tricked and invalidated by the narrative, and have a hard time accepting that "two men showing so much love and physical intimacy together were meant to be platonic".

In real life? Yes. Two men showing so much love and physical intimacy together can be 100% platonic.

In fiction? We may not quite have reached the point where it isn't problematic yet.

Because when we look on the side of tradition men/women pairings?

Dana Scully and Fox Mulder (X-Files) became canon once fans became so invested in them they weren't willing to accept "anything less".

Buffy Summers and Spike, of all people, eventually got together, when he's a character that should have been killed off after two appearance,s because people like the character so much, and fans shipped the pairing so hard (just to be clear, I have nothing against the pairing)!

And then, there's Stiles and Lydia...

Where's the outcry saying that it "lessens" platonic men/women relationships, by suggesting that two emotionally close people can't just remain friends?

People just had to shout "Stydia is endgame! Stydia is endgame! Stydia is endgame! OMG! They are SO in love!!!", and TADAH! They got together before the end of the last Season!

Hetero ships that people get highly invested in do tend to become canon.

Gay ships?! *GASP! You know, two men or women together can be FRIENDS! They don't have to be GAY!"

No shit, Sherlock!

So why can't a boy and a girl, that have an insane amount of chemistry, and share tons of emotional intimacy together, avoid any romantic attraction?!

And I don't ever recall Stiles having ever bathed Lydia, nor rubbed chamomile onto her lovely bottom, alright?!

Why do they need to become a couple, and send the message that the deep love they share couldn't be strong enough if they'd remained platonic?

(I'm not telling Stydia fans that their ship is wrong or that they shouldn't bask in the happiness that the ship becoming canon brought them. Just pointing out how hetero and gay ships tend to be argued differently.)

But gay ships?!

Nah! No homo, bro/sis! Must have close same gender friendships representation!

So yeah, it's not that it's unrealistic for Geraskier to be platonic that frustrates me, but that sense of how we teach heterosexuals and queer fans to read scenes and relation dynamics differently.

Yes, I will enjoy that absolute gift of a queer romance that Joey Batey worked so hard for us to get with Radskier!

But, I still felt the need to speak out, and tell Geraskier fans that might still be feeling betrayed, or in disbelief that they called Geralt and Jaskier "platonic" that "I get it". That their feelings, disappointment, sense of betrayal, and hurt are valid, and that they have the right to mourn and struggle with accepting what was offered them (Radskier) instead.

You weren't reading romantic elements where there was none.

Had Geraskier been a romantically/sexually compatible man/woman "platonic friendship", they'd been "endgame". I'm pretty sure of it.

They'd even have been allowed to use "videogame logic" that says that Geralt can also end up with Triss, or any other partner besides Yennefer. They'd made it work!

#Jaskier #Geralt of Rivia #Geraskier #The Witcher #Radskier #Radovid #Queer baiting #issues #My posts #My thoughts #Personal #Sapioromantic Jaskier #Pan Jaskier #Panromantic Jaskier #Pansexual Jaskier

[thelostgirl21]

One of the things that have always fascinated me about Joey Batey is his ability to act with his eyes...

He's mastered the "life has just been utterly sucked out of a character due to heartbreak" kinda look, that makes you strongly empathize with him, and struggle to freaking breathe...

So, I was listening to "No Light, No Light" while paying attention to the lyrics, and noticed how the first verse could be told from Geralt's P.O.V., while the second one oddly fit Radovid's sense of utter lack of direction in life until Jaskier entered it...

And Jaskier's got these beautiful bright blue eyes...

So this happened...

And with our talks about how precious every type of love and relationship is (and how platonic/alterous and romantic love can beautifully coexist in a single individual, without one ever taking anything away from the other's value), and Jaskier displaying signs of RSD, I'm totally dedicating this one to @aro-tarot.

#Jaskier #Geralt of Rivia #Radovid #Geraskier #Radskier #Of the queerplatonic and romantic variety #Respectively #The Witcher #Sapioromantic Jaskier #Pan Jaskier #Panromantic Jaskier #Pansexual Jaskier #LGBTQ+ #My Posts #My Stuff #Videos #Youtube