So I was looking up some stuff for the newest content drop for SWTOR, Jedi Under Siege, and I found this video from xLetalis;
Now, I'm not really a fan of his content anymore due to him transitioning away from his Legacy series, but this caught my eye, and I want to talk about some of the points he made.
First off, I want to discuss the difference between love and sexuality. According to the first definition in the English dictionary, love is defined as "an intense feeling of deep affection." Sexuality is defined as "capacity for sexual feelings" and "a person's sexual orientation or preference", though we're going to focus on the second one here. These two definitions are independent of each other; a person can develop feelings of love for a person they do not have sexual feelings for. Children are a prime example of this, as sexuality doesn't happen until puberty when they become sexually mature, but they can still intense feelings of affection for others. And there are people who are completely asexual, who have no sexual feelings or sexual orientation at all, and yet, they are still capable of love.
We can also have the inverse; sexuality without love. Casual relationships, open relationships, and one night stands are all indications that a person can have sexual feelings toward another without developing any feelings of love toward the other person. However, if you are a being who has sexual feelings, you're going to search for that affection from someone you're sexually attracted to.
But let's focus on what the video is actually about; a character who had been previously established as heterosexual later being opened to being bisexual; in this case, Jaesa and Nadia, and if what xLetalis said turns out to be right, Kira. He mentions how, while he doesn't have a problem with homosexuality and bisexuality, he doesn't like how they're "changing their character". Well, here's the thing; bisexuality and homosexuality are discovered sexuality. What do I mean? I'll tell you.
Humans are a species for whom heterosexuality is the norm, at least biologically speaking; we reproduce via sexual activity with a member of the opposite sex. And because it's biologically normal, it's sort of socially normal, too. However, a person's sexuality is the same from birth; it is what it is and always will be. So, if a person discovers they are homosexual or bisexual, it means they were always homosexual or bisexual but didn't realize it until they finally found that person who brought up those sexual feelings within them.
And this can be discovered at any point in a person's life. Sexuality is not necessarily a straight line from birth until death. It can take as many turns throughout life, experiencing a lot that life and the world has to offer, or you can find that one person that makes you forget about anyone else. It's as varied as the people who walk the earth.
Now, there's an easy explanation for both Nadia and Jaesa being revealed as bisexual 13 years after you meet them. Both Nadia and Jaesa were on journeys of self discovery, and with Nadia, her sexuality doesn't come up unless you show romantic interest. With Light Side Jaesa, she's still trying to hold true to the Jedi Code, despite traveling with a Sith Lord. Both are attracted to you either way regardless of your gender, according to my earlier statement about someone always being bisexual whether they realize it or not, but say nothing because they either don't realize it yet or don't think it's appropriate to say something to their master.
Now, Dark Side Jaesa potentially throws a wrench in this explanation, but again, her revelation can be explained the same way; she either hasn't realized that she's bi, or she has and thinks "Could my master be into me? No, I don't think so, she's flirting with Quinn/Pierce, so she must be straight" and just discards the idea. And when she uses her power on you, she is both surprised and delighted to realize you feel the same way about her that she's felt for you for 13 years.
However, I do agree with xLetalis' statement about some acknowledgment; a simple "I didn't realize I was into girls until you were gone for so long", or some variant, would have helped smooth this for a lot of people. Because that kind of thing does happen for people who discover themselves to be bisexual or homosexual sometimes; someone they think they're content to be friends with is suddenly gone from their life, even on a temporary basis, and they realize that they miss them more than they thought they would and that they think they should. That is very much Light Side Jaesa; she didn't realize she was in love with the Warrior, male or female until the Warrior was gone with no hope of them coming back. She even says as much, claiming she needed to shut herself off from her power because she'd be desperately searching for the Warrior otherwise.
Now, keep in mind that this all comes from a heterosexual male. I am attracted to women and only women, so I search for that kind of affection only in women. But I not opposed in any way to people who are different than me. If you're homosexual, fine. If you're bisexual, asexual, pansexual, or any other label you want to apply to yourself, that's fine too. Just live your life and try to be happy.
May 16,2020 Update: So they actually took this idea and ran with it for Kira. If you flirt with Kira during her scene on Carrick Station, you get the "kind of sort of always in love with you" scene. So good on the writers for taking feedback and implementing it.
But until next time, stay beautiful freaks!
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