Mo Dao Zu Shi: Astray

Forest of Webs, Part Three

Was it because Tara looked so much like a lesbian that some girls spat on her? Acted unnerved by her presence?

Tara's peers never said the word "lesbian" but they always "joked" about her dating other girls.

"You like Dragon Ball? You're weird! Only boys like that!"

Tara wished she could be a boy. Then she wouldn't have to have all these forced expectations as a girl. Was there even a way for her to stay a girl but still be able to dress as a boy and like boy stuff?

Didn't her parents teach her to treat others kindly and to stand up for the weak? Tara had done all the right things and never hurt anyone. So why were they all treating her so horribly?

"This is for boys. And this is for girls. You need to pick the one for girls, Tara."

What did it fucking matter? Why were people so obsessed with dividing activities, behavior, and roles between boys and girls? Between men and women?

"Aren't you a boy?! You're supposed to be strong and fierce! Why are you being such a crybaby?"

Was it really any surprise that Tara ended up having a predominantly queer friend group later on?

Especially when everyone else alienated her...

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"Minh. Is this your son?"

"Daughter, actually."

"What? Why does your daughter look so much like a boy? And why did you let her have a wooden sword from Chinatown?"

Thanh squirmed as her aunt looked at her with distaste.

Her aunt, her father's sister, was visiting from Vietnam.

Thanh didn't like her. She was so mean.

"Look at the both of you! You've been away from Vietnam for what? Thirty years? Living as Việt kiều[2] has made you too Westernized now! No wonder you're being so careless with Thanh! With the way she acts, you might as well have birthed a son! No niece of mine is going to grow up to be one of those women! Our family can't mất mặt![3]"

Thanh's aunt huffed. "And why does Thanh want an áo dài[4] with a dragon on it? Dragons are for boys! She is supposed to get one with a phoenix! Why does she want to be a boy so badly?"

"I actually like both dragons and phoenixes. Could I have an áo dài with both?" Thanh asked.

"No!" Thanh's aunt snarled.

Minh tried to placate his sister. "Thanh is young. She needs time to learn. Let her be silly for now. She'll grow up properly eventually."

Thanh's aunt nodded. "Fine! See to it that you and Quyên do your duties as parents!"

After Thanh's aunt left, her parents tucked her into bed.

In the middle of trying to sleep, Thanh heard her parents talking.

"Is Thanh asleep?"

Thanh heard her room door creak open slowly as Quyên peeked in.

Thanh remained still and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.

"Yes." Quyên shut the door.

"Anh[5], your sister has no right to talk about how to raise our daughter! She doesn't even have children of her own! She has no idea what it's like to be a mother!" Quyên said angrily.