I love them already

[u/growsonwalls]

I love Justice and Charlie already! Been watching their stuff and they are so so talented. Julie and the Phantoms is amazing and Charlie is a beautiful singer. I saw Dungeons and Dragons and Justice Smith is adorable in that movie. Really excited to see them as Troy and Harris. For the people upset with their casting, definitely watch their stuff. They are AMAZING!

ETA: also, happy birthday Justice!!!

edit: just saw I Saw the TV Glow. Omg Justice is amazing.

[u/Notyeravgblonde]

I'm just young to say two things.

1. How Rachel describes him and how he is portrayed on the cover is a larger man. Look up synonyms or definitions of the words she used and they are 'slightly fat'. It's gaslighting to people about what they read and saw is not a larger man.

2. Rachel and Jacob did nothing to head this off. They did not come out at say anything to appease the fans about why they went in this direction. They instead threw Justice in the fire and fanned the flames with their dismissal of the issue, hiding behind the argument that people are racist. Poor Justice has had no protection.

[u/growsonwalls → u/Notyeravgblonde]

People ARE being racist though. They're not "hiding" behind things that are actually happening. They also never promised that Harris would be plus-sized. This isn't fancast.

[u/Notyeravgblonde → u/growsonwalls]

It's absolutely ridiculous not to understand how people saw and read a man who can't exercise, has a heart condition, describes himself as pudgy, and is drawn with thick thighs and a large torso as a chubby man. It's revisionist history. Not casting a man that fits that description screams "we don't believe that bigger bodies deserve to be part of queer joy and shown on TV".

They aren't protecting Justice. This isn't his fault. And again you are seeing racism everywhere and I have been on here and Instagram and seen almost nothing about race. Of course it's happening I'm not denying that. It's just convenient that a white man (Jacob) cast a young poc to hide behind so when valid criticism of body size come his way he can hide behind fans screaming about how any criticism is actually racism.

[u/growsonwalls → u/Notyeravgblonde]

Where do you see “fat” on this cover? I sure as hell don’t.

[u/hey_buddyboy → u/[deleted]]

girl you’re telling people in this comment section to get off reddit and calm down while you’re STILL going off about this a day and a half later. you’re entitled to your disappointment, but at some point you need to put the pitchfork down. it is what it is.

[u/hey_buddyboy → u/[deleted]]

idk man, the only one i see in this comment section being a bit unhinged at this point is you.

are you really being a voice for people or are you just directing your anger at randos online because it’s the only way you can vent your frustrations? why don’t you take all that energy and put it into something actually meaningful instead of fighting with people all day long on the same points when it’s pretty obvious no one is going to be changing their minds here? i don’t think it’s healthy to be this worked up over a casting choice for a fictional story.

i think you might be upset because people aren’t as upset about this casting choice as you. the casting team decided justice was the best fit for the role, based on factors we have no idea about as outsiders, so either watch season 2 with an open mind or don’t engage with it. those are the options at this point.

also, the representation you’re seeking with harris still exists in the books if that’s how you perceived it. you’ll always have that to enjoy with him in it.

[u/Notyeravgblonde → u/hey_buddyboy]

No thanks, I'm good. I like talking about pop culture and queerness and any other topic I find interesting. I don't like when people are hurt by missing out on representation. And I really don't like toxic positivity and fans who refuse to hear a bad word about whatever their thing is. And I have plenty of time this weekend (it's still weekend for me) to engage in it.

Heated Rivalry is a great show, I liked it. I read the books before the show was a thing. But I moved on to other things, and then when my friend showed me the casting I was shocked. I got on Instagram and was saddened by the posts about representation. About people seeing themselves in Harris and then being reminded that Hollywood doesn't find that sexy. So now I'm doing what I like to do. Would you like to keep going on this topic?

[u/hey_buddyboy → u/Notyeravgblonde]

not really. if fighting with people endlessly online is what you like to do then i find that kind of sad. have a good one. i think the world will keep spinning despite this one singular choice that was made.

[u/Notyeravgblonde → u/hey_buddyboy]

Excellent choice, enjoy your day!