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waterisntreal · 4 years

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Why Reggie being bisexual matters so much to me

Ok so I’m just going to rant right now because I really want to talk about this. Also, this is sort of branching off of a reblog of one of @redhoodparker‘s posts.

First off, I believe that it is important to establish that I am bisexual. However, for many years I tried to convince myself that I wasn’t, but not for the reason you might think. When I was 12 I came out as a lesbian. I didn’t want to admit to myself that I liked guys because I was scared that liking guys made me less queer and that I couldn’t actually like girls if I liked guys too. So I just convinced myself that I didn’t. This worked until about sophomore year of high school. I had just gone through some very traumatic stuff including a suicide attempt and that year I only shared lunch with one of my friends. Every day my friend and I would closer and start talking about more personal topics. One day she was talking to me about our other mutual friend that idenifies as bisexual and how that friend had told her that she liked girls and was attracted to them but she wasn’t sure if she would actually date one and I told my friend that I felt a similar way about guys, even though I would now say I would definitely date a guy. This was the closest I had gotten to even considering liking guys in 3 years and it caused me to think more about my sexuality and all the times I made up excuses for myself when I had a crush on a guy. I slowly began to accept that I liked guys, but there was still a part of me that felt ashamed about it and felt like coming out as bisexual after coming out as lesbian was invalidating queer people and showing that gay people can be “turned straight”. It wasn’t until I was 16 that I was able to move past these feelings enough to come out to my friends, however I still haven’t come out to my family, for frame of reference I am currently 17. Depsite coming out to my friends I still feel guiltly and ashamed for liking guys. Every time I find a guy cute I feel guilty, every time my favorite character is a guy I feel guilty, every time I find a new artist that is a guy I feel guilty.

As a society we are taught to live in black and whites because it is much easier to simplify people when there are only two options. It’s every thing is put into a simple binary system. Do you like cats or dogs? Do you like hamburgers or hotdogs? Are you a loser or a popular kid? Are you smart or stupid? Yes or no? Are you gay or straight? Are you a boy or a girl? Do you like boys or girls? The keyword in all of those questions is or. We are taught that every option is mutually exclusive, that you can never choose both. Due to this I constantly question my sexual orientation because there is still a part of me that doesn’t fully understand that I can choose both. So I feel ashamed when I like guys because I feel like I’m betraying the part of me that likes girls and especially other queer people. Some queer do see that way too, as a betrayal. When you hear about bisexual dating people of the opposite sex and it is always seen as them being in a “straight” relationship or as them finally picking a side.

Even within fandom culture saying that a character is bi is usually done as excuse for people to ignore the character’s feelings for the opposite sex and just continue to ship them. I hear the phrase “they could always be bi” a lot and it is almost always said to explain away the character’s behavior towards to opposite sex. The behavior and feelings towards the opposite sex is almost always seen as less than, as being too straight, or unwanted. People will often say that a character is bisexual not because they actually believe them to be or because they want to explore that possibility but because they want the character to queer and they need an excuse as too why the character likes to opposite sex. Now that being said I do not believe that is what is happening with Reggie.

Reggie is bisexual. I believe that despite it never being explicitly stated it is canon. As it is the most obvious conclusion one can make from watching the show. He dresses and acts in a way that fits in with common stereotypes about bisexual and he has expressed interest in both girls and guys. Many people believe that Reggie is bisexual not just because of a ship or because they want another queer character, though there are people who do, but because he acts like he is bisexual. Reggie’s sexuality exists outside the sphere of shipping, though it a contributing factor. There are people who believe that Reggie is bisexual not because the ship him Luke or Alex but because he just is. It is nice to see a character being viewed as queer for more than just the sake of a ship.

Now that being said I would very much appreciate it if the show not only explicitly said that he was bisexual but also actually explored both sides of his sexuality. I want Reggie to like guys, I want Reggie to talk about guys, I want Reggie to date guys, but I also want him to do all those things with girls. I don’t want the show to just say he’s bisexual and then have him date a guy for the rest of the show because isn’t what bisexuality is. That type of thing is what made me feel ashamed for liking guys because I felt like I should just go date some girl. I love Ruke (Reggie/Luke) as much as the person if not more but I would honestly be really happy if Reggie ended up with no one next season, at least not anyone permanent, or even a girlfriend but they still explore his feelings towards guys. Reggie’s bisexuality is especially important because this is technically a kid’s show. Children are very impressionable and it is important to teach them things when they are young. Therefore, seeing a bisexual character that openly likes both genders, not just boys and not just girls, will hopefully make it so any bi kids watching won’t end up like me and think that they have to choose one or the other.

I know that Reggie being bisexual is very accepted within this fandom but I also want people to know that this more than just having another queer character in the show. Reggie being bisexual is important to me because he is bisexual, not queer, not gay, bisexual. I hope that seeing a bisexual person openly love both genders will help me finally believe that liking guys isn’t something I should feel guilty about that it is ok and natural and normal that there is nothing wrong with me.

#rant #sorry that was a lot #I am a very emotional person but I don't talk about them a lot #so when I do I have a lot to say #I am literally crying right now #this took me an hour and a half to write #jatp #jatp netflix #reggie #reggie peters #bisexual reggie #bi!reggie #bisexual reggie peters #bi!reggie peters #bisexual #bisexuality #julie and the phantoms

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sunset-bobby · 3 years

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Title: You Mean the Holograms

Summary: Julie invites Carrie over to tell her the truth about her band, and maybe her dad, but what if she already knows

Word Count: 1886

Ao3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27822940

If there was one thing Carrie Wilson was good at, it was acting as if she was not aware of things. People often assume because she is the daughter of Trevor Wilson and shallow, which she is sometimes and is working on it, that she is not in tune with what’s going on in other people’s lives, but she is. So, when Julie texted her to come over saying she ‘needed to tell her something’. Carrie had a pretty good idea of what she was getting herself into. After all her dad is Trevor Wilson, and well he’s a terrible liar no matter how hard he tries. So that is how she found herself at Julie’s studio on a Saturday afternoon sitting on a chair, with Julie pacing in front of her nervously.

“Okay, so I called you here to introduce you to my band,” Julie stated and Carrie nodded along.

“The holograms?” she asked her in a false tone that made Julie believe she was clueless.

“That’s the thing. They aren’t actually holograms,” she paused and Carrie looked at her in anticipation., “ They’re ghosts.” Carrie gave her a look that was a mix of disbelief and confusion, but before she could say anything Julie cut her off.

“Before you say anything, let me show you,” and she heads off to the piano. Now Carrie can’t actually see the ghost, but she is already aware of their existence, so she sends a small smirk to the air and hopes one of them is catching on and finds this as amusing as she is. However if what she already knows about them is true the one most likely to catch on, is freaking out. Julie plays a piano riff that Carrie is familiar with before a faint whooshing sound comes in and before stands the face of 3 teenage boys that she is secretly very familiar with. Julie stops playing and the boys as well. Something new Carrie was not ready for. Point ghost.

“The new abilities are hard to explain as of right now, but they can now be seen after we play as well,” Julie explains and Carrie nods along once more.

“Okay, so Care this is-,” but Carrie takes the opportunity to expose her own secrets now.

“Luke, Reggie, and Alex. Formally of the early 90s rock band Sunset Curve, currently of the up and coming band Julie and the Phantoms,” she says and her tone is dripping with that false innocence she uses to really push certain statements over the edge, and from the looks on both the boys and Julie’s face it seems she has. The blonde one, Alex, is the first to speak.

“H-how does she know that?” he looks around at his shocked friends before looking back at her, “how do you know tha?” She smiles, not fully she doesn’t want it to seem like she’s finding amusement in his obvious sense of panic, but just enough to where they know she’s planned this.

“Did you ask your dad about it?” Reggie, the bassist, asked recovering next, and Carrie decided to add some more to the drama.

“My dad? Why would he be involved in this?” Her smile has dropped giving the illusion that she is serious about her confusion. The boys and Julie blubber out multiple excuses to each other trying to come up with the same story, and she lets them for a while, before cracking. A laugh escapes her lips drawing their attention back to her.

“I’m joking, no my dad told me everything,” she says in between laughs, but the others just continue to stare.

“So you already know everything?” Luke asks and there is a slight emphasis in his voice that makes her realize he is asking for something specific, and she knows what it is, but she isn’t going to let that out just yet.

“Oh do you mean how Alex likes to join me for Dirty Candi performances?”

“How did-”

“I’m pretty sure I’ve walked through you and that chill is pretty hard to miss,” she answers, interrupting Alex’s question. She looks over at Luke and his face is hard to read, but he’s definitely riled up.

“Or are you talking about if I know that you’re connected to Julie because of her mom, whom you met 20 mins prior to your, um….” she trailed off, she didn’t know if their passings were a sensitive topic or not.

“Wait, really?” Julie asked, and Carrie was not aware that she did not know.

“Um, yeah it’s how our parents met. However they didn’t become friends until your mom picked my sobbing dad up off of the streets of Sunset Boulevard, or at least that what he said,” she said nonchalantly. This topic was something her dad discussed multiple times. He was very open with his experience with grief, although she thinks it’s because Dr.Crystal advises him too. She takes another look at Luke, and by now she thinks he can tell she’s avoided the topic purposely. She sighs as he opens his mouth to speak, and talks before him.

“Fine. I know you want know if I am aware that the songs on my dad’s first two albums are Sunset Curves, that he didn’t credit you, and is legally not allowed to discuss it with anyone who doesn’t already know, because somehow his dumb 21 year old self didn’t know how to read through a contract,” she told him exasperated, but was shocked when she did not get an immediate response from the boy in return. Then again none of the others said anything either.

“Oh, you didn’t know about that detail did you?”

“No,” Luke said quietly, “no we did not.”

“Carrie if you knew all of this why didn’t you tell me. At least about the music part when we were friends?” Julie asked, and Carrie did not realize how this would look to her.

“I didn’t know until middle school, and I thought you knew too. I figured your mom was going to tell you.”

“I didn’t know she knew.”

“I’m sorry Juls. Maybe it was for a good reason. I only found out on accident,” Carrie offered and Julie nodded.

“Is there anything else you might know?” Reggie asked her, but the answer was a little iffy. She knew a lot of things thanks to her dad’s shrine to them, which she still finds weird despite the fact he’s also in the pictures.

“Maybe you should just ask me questions, and I can see what I can answer,” she suggested and they nodded. Alex started.

“Do you know anything about our families?”

“Some things, yes. Uh how sensitive is this topic though?” she wanted to make sure she covered all of her bases before continuing.

“It’s relatively sensitive, but we wanna know,” was all she got in response.

“Um okay, well despite the fact he did not credit you guys, my dad still gave money to your families, or at least those who deserved it. I don’t know much about your family, I’m sorry Reggie.”

“It’s okay,” he said, but she had a feeling it wasn’t. She did not want to over step.

“What about me?” Luke asked, “I know Julie and I saw my parents a couple weeks ago, and I try to visit them often, but I-,”

“You know,” she started cutting him off, “Ms. Emily is always telling my dad it does not do well to keep replaying your mistakes.”

“You’ve met my mom?”

“Yeah I saw her earlier in the month with my dad. We were continuing a tradition he and Julie’s mom started,” she explained.

“What tradition?”

“They bring her flowers on special occasions. I think it was a birthday or something. He’s never gone alone before. If Rose couldn’t go, he’d send them by mail, but he says that anniversaries are hard. I think that’s why he took me too.”

“Oh.”

“ Hey, I don’t know your story, but I don’t believe you should keep blaming yourself.”

“I’m not.”

“You are, I am very familiar with that look.”

“What about my family?” Alex asked, however his situation was a little different, and Carrie was not sure when the right time would come again.

“My dad doesn’t really like to talk to all of them. Mainly just my mom, but-”

“Mom!” Alex exclaimed, cutting her off.

“Yeah, my mom is Alyssa Da-”

“LYSSA, she’s like 10 years younger than him. I can’t believe he…” The boys looked at one another in disgust, but Carrie and Julie, just bubbled with laughter, causing the disgusted looks to turn into confused ones.

“What’s happening. Why are you laughing at the fact that Bobby defiled Alex’s little sister?” Luke asked.

“Okay, can we not say it like that,” Alex grimaced.

“Alex, don’t worry, he didn’t do anything with your sister,” Julie stated.

“Yeah, despite the small resemblances, he isn’t my biological dad,” she added.

“Then why-”

“She had me when she was 16, but instead of putting me up for adoption, she gave me to my dad. I don’t really know everything, but my dad told me when I was 7.” Alex nodded.

“Okay, but earlier you were laughing?” he asked, and Julie giggled beside her.

“Because I’m pretty sure we both thought of the same response,” Julie answered, and looked at Carrie.

“He says it whenever anyone asks about his relationship status in interviews,” Carrie also added.

“ Honey, I haven’t touched a woman since 1999,” they both quoted in sync before breaking out in a fit of laughter once more.

“Bobby is gay?!” all three boys shouted.

“Bi actually,” Julie corrected.

“With a preference for men...guitar players specifically,” Carrie continued.

“Not that any of them last very long according to tabloids,” Julie said aimlessly.

“Yeah, well you know dad is always picky. Apparently he has this thing where they have to match his talent,” Carrie said and she and Julie looked at one another again silently confirming if they were thinking the same thing, before turning back to the boys who were flickering.

“I guess this is our goodbye,” Reggie joked and Carrie cracked a smile.

“For now,” she added.

“Do you think you can come back? Tell us more about your dad and what we missed?” Luke asked, and she shook her head yes.

“Yeah, or you guys could come to mine and I can show you my dad’s Sunset Curve room that he likes to cry in sometimes.” That didn’t really get the laughs she thought it would, and she scolded herself for not remembering that joking about trauma was a Wilson thing, but the boys were gone before she could even back track, so she turned to Julie.

“Well I know they’re still here, but I drove myself so if you wanna hang out I could stick around,” she suggested, and Julie smiled.

“Yeah, I’d like that. Besides I think we have some things to talk about.” She led her out of the studio and Carrie happily followed, knowing that there were most likely three teenage ghosts following her. So yes, sometimes she does pretend to be clueless, because she likes being underestimated, but sometimes it’s good to show all of her strengths, because you might be able to mend a couple of friendships.

#julie and the phantoms #reggie jatp #alex jatp #luke patterson #julie molina #carrie wilson #trevor wilson #jatp fanfic #jatp #bobby jatp #sunset curve #rose molina #ray molina #carlos molina #flynn jatp #nick danforth evans #caleb covington #willie jatp #carrie and julie

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