Thread:AngryLance/@comment-37028137-20200128044919/@comment-37028137-20200705222109

My apologies for a late reply, I was working on my chapter, then my sister called so I saw this a tad late.

Well in regards to what you mentioned here "I find the concept of humans changing genders abhorent. Because we are not made up the way clown-fish or various species of amphibians. Because I feel humans... shouldn't be THIS maleable" 

I don't want to go too deep (because then I have to charge by the hour) and because this site isn't the best place for such in depth conversations but I'll explain as best I can.

The fact is there is are biological components to sexuality, as well as gender. Now be very clear on this sexuality is different from gender. Gender is what you are born as male, female, intersex, non-binary etc. (Intersex by the by, is where a person is born with both male and female organs. In the past the parents would choose which gender their child would have. This is now being discouraged as it is believed an intersex child should be allowed to grow into themselves and then choose their gender. They then choose their gender at 15-18 years old after they gain the mental maturity to make the choice.)

But back to sexuality. Alfred Kinsey developed the 'Kinsey scale' in America in the 1940's and 50's. It was a  very limited scale  with only six different ratings on sexual identity. We are still taught this scale in introductory course even over here simply because it was groundbreaking in realizing there were multiple levels of sexuality, and to understand its shortcomings.

In contemporary circles of psychology it is accepted that Sexuality operates on a spectrum. Think of it like a wave if that helps, there's Heterosexual on one end and Homosexual on the other. The closer to one end you are the more you identify to that side of the spectrum.

Now everyone falls into this spectrum at some point most folks fall around the mid-point. No one is 100% Heterosexual or 100% Homosexual so there aren’t clusters of folks on either end. There are several outliers that lean more towards one or both sides (such as those who are Bi) That’s why you can look at a good looking guy and think “Oh he works out that’s a nice body” or a woman can appreciate another woman’s beauty. We admire physical prowess it’s ingrained in our mentality. That’s the whole physical identification method which is how we as a species survive by choosing the most virile mates to pass on our genetics but that’s another story entirely.

Anyways the point here is that we as Humans are indeed malleable. Adaptation is a survival tactic, to adapt to our circumstances is a necessity so that we can pass on our traits and continue the survival of the species.

Now to the main point. Here’s what I wrote about the Alp in regards to the Trans Community and how I see things on the profile page a while back.

“You know I think about it this way in a medical context: If a person identifies as female but was born male, they can have reassignment surgery in today’s age. They, for all intents and purposes now have a body with all the working parts, which reflects how they see themselves and what they identify as. They are fully female in mind and body full stop no debate.

The Alp is the same way. If a man sees himself as a woman trapped in the wrong body then in the MGE setting they become an Alp through DE. This liberates them from being confined to a form that does not reflect who they are on the inside.

And let me give a little context here too. Trans-Gender is a man or woman who identifies as another sex but who has not undergone the reassignment procedure.

So no it is not ‘gay’ or a ‘trap’ they are women, not men. They have the mentality and identity of a woman and they have the body which reflects that.

As a Psychologist I work with Trans-gender, and Gender reassigned folks and let me tell you something that is good to know just for life in general: They are good people and they are doing the same things we are. People are people no matter where you go, what background they come from, their race, their gender, religious beliefs, or politics. At the end of the day in all walks of life the main concerns come down to work a good job, take care of my family, and make sure there’s a roof over my family’s heads. Intrinsically there are more things that bind us together and unite us than divide us. But the politicians would rather focus on our differences; keep us fighting amongst ourselves, so that they the rich can run off with all the money. Very simple thing that happens to work. So I wouldn’t be so quick to judge or start labeling folks without knowing them first.”

You point out that “It scares me because it feels like their brains are rewritten”

That is a valid concern; it may help to look at the change from a slightly different angle. In the context of what KC has written about the Alp it is still including quite a bit of hyperbole and obfuscating linguistics.

The way I read it is this: If a person who mentally views themselves in thought, feeling, and identity as female but outside appears as ‘male’ then they will become an Alp through Demonic Energy. They will gain a body that reflects who they are on the inside and with what they identify as. They are female on the inside so they change to resemble a female on the outside. They aren’t being reprogrammed or anything like that they are simply being given a form that reflects who they are.

In the MGE Setting Demonic Energy is allowing these people to be who they are in much the same fashion that reassignment surgery in today’s age allows folks to be who they are.

You also point out this “It's also ridiculous that gay or bisexual men can't stay men because... reason. It just doesn't make sense.”

My twin sister is a lesbian or gay or whatever terms you’d prefer. She knows about MGE and Monster Musume and whatever else (we have similar tastes). So she’s familiar with these settings. She doesn’t like the idea that women cannot express open love for one another except as ‘best friends or whatever’ her words because of the limitations of the setting. So she stays with a blend of Monster Musume, D&D and her own setting when doing her own things. I also don’t agree with the fact that truly gay folks don’t exist in this setting. I feel that gay people should be allowed to exist openly in the setting, but not being the author I cannot change that fact. I believe these limits are simply those beliefs of the author KC on his own setting. What we do agree on is that the Alp is most likely KC’s soft attempt at a gay or Trans character.

Frankly I considered going back to Monster Musume but the girls there are far more bestial than Humanoid. (The centaurs only having a rear vagina being a really sore spot. I mean it would probably spice things up but you know Ugh.) And the fact that there are Monster Boys. Part of the appeal of MGE was the fact that the Mamono were all women and it didn’t matter what you were like. I have a few physical insecurities from my disability, I mean I’m in good shape, and am very physically fit from the waist up simply for the fact that my legs are a twisted wreck. Because that little voice in my head says “You’re already screwed up as it is, and have so little left to work with. If you don’t take care of what’s left then you’ll just end up a burnt husk of a Human being!” So I have my own demons and nagging thoughts to the point that the idea of competing with these Adonis-like Monster Boys was unappealing…But there’s my bias talking.

So I can understand the idea of certain biases. In psychology there are actually positive and negative biases. Bias is not inherently ‘bad’ we try to avoid naming something as ‘good or bad’ in psychology. Since the terms are limited to a black or white intentionality I.e. the good versus evil idea. In any case the idea of ‘bias’ can be positive. For example in one of my years at university I took a bias questionnaire to discern how I view people. It came back that I had a positive bias towards people with disabilities. (Meaning I preferred to be around, and converse with disabled folks more than non-disabled people.) Which makes sense given my physical state so the point is there is a difference between positive and negative bias. Negative would be if you disliked, I don’t know, green eyed people because you thought they were soulless wraiths coming to steal your breath. (I had an elderly lady tell me something similar during my internship years ago.)

Oh and Lance don’t worry this hasn’t ‘ruined our friendship’ or anything of the sort. I may not agree with you completely but I can respect your views even if I don’t hold them myself. Let me know if you have any thoughts, ideas, or questions.

Cheers,

The Weary TimeLord.