Marco's appearing/disappearing chest hair got me Googling, which led me immediately to Miss Benny's coming out (if it counts as coming out to be visibly trans and publicly use they/them pronouns and then have Time magazine tell the world you've been using she/her for a while and having gender feelings that ought to come as a surprise to no one - no shade at all on Miss Benny that she was subject to this framing, it's just a striking reminder both of how the world doesn't take non-binary identities seriously and the unique discrimination aimed at trans women) the same day I watched this episode. The reveal that the show is in fact going to deal with Marco figuring out some gender stuff has me sold on watching this through unless it gets really painful - and probably even then I'd hate-watch.
I don't think it'll come to a hate-watch, though! This show is feeding my corny rom-com hunger, and I have been known to consume some absolute trash rom-coms with glee (though I usually do boo the endings - those women are almost always better off single).
The baby trans subtext starts to enter the plot and dialogue, and not just the casting, with this episode - Parker's insight that Marco isn't admitting to what he wants; Marco's moment of speechlessness when he meets Dizmal; Marco starting to spend more time in the verbal grey area where "us ladies" gay talk and "us ladies" lady talk both live.
Knowing where this story is going makes me a little more forgiving of some of the Drag Race-y dialog. Campy gay is a safer social location than trans woman and it's not uncommon for transfeminine folks to find some armor in that mask. "I can't do math, I'm gay" is an obnoxious, cringy line that joins many others like it, but maybe it's possible to read the obnoxiousness as Marco clinging to a protective act rather than the writers feeding the gays to the sharks for straight laughs. I mean, the nature of art is that it's both, isn't it?
I'm a little unclear about Marco's sexual maturity/experience and it's making parts of the show hard to read. I'm not sure how to square how gunshy he is with Parker with him announcing to the senior staff at his job that he's a twink on PrEP. Is he new to relationships, covering that up with pretend worldliness, or is there something special about this situation? It's hard to read his reaction to Ben without this info - is Marco surprised to be found beautiful, or does he get chased every night out? How integrated into queer community is he? How is it possible that he can put together a look like he can, he's worked a makeup counter in NYC, he goes out regularly, and he hasn't met any friends who do drag yet at age 22?
Ben's interest is still played as sweet, but it's starting to veer toward uncomfortable for me after this episode; a senior coworker holding onto that Polaroid with so much intensity is not great.
Review by callie_jenningsBlockedParentSpoilers2023-06-27T15:48:57Z
Marco's appearing/disappearing chest hair got me Googling, which led me immediately to Miss Benny's coming out (if it counts as coming out to be visibly trans and publicly use they/them pronouns and then have Time magazine tell the world you've been using she/her for a while and having gender feelings that ought to come as a surprise to no one - no shade at all on Miss Benny that she was subject to this framing, it's just a striking reminder both of how the world doesn't take non-binary identities seriously and the unique discrimination aimed at trans women) the same day I watched this episode. The reveal that the show is in fact going to deal with Marco figuring out some gender stuff has me sold on watching this through unless it gets really painful - and probably even then I'd hate-watch.
I don't think it'll come to a hate-watch, though! This show is feeding my corny rom-com hunger, and I have been known to consume some absolute trash rom-coms with glee (though I usually do boo the endings - those women are almost always better off single).
The baby trans subtext starts to enter the plot and dialogue, and not just the casting, with this episode - Parker's insight that Marco isn't admitting to what he wants; Marco's moment of speechlessness when he meets Dizmal; Marco starting to spend more time in the verbal grey area where "us ladies" gay talk and "us ladies" lady talk both live.
Knowing where this story is going makes me a little more forgiving of some of the Drag Race-y dialog. Campy gay is a safer social location than trans woman and it's not uncommon for transfeminine folks to find some armor in that mask. "I can't do math, I'm gay" is an obnoxious, cringy line that joins many others like it, but maybe it's possible to read the obnoxiousness as Marco clinging to a protective act rather than the writers feeding the gays to the sharks for straight laughs. I mean, the nature of art is that it's both, isn't it?
I'm a little unclear about Marco's sexual maturity/experience and it's making parts of the show hard to read. I'm not sure how to square how gunshy he is with Parker with him announcing to the senior staff at his job that he's a twink on PrEP. Is he new to relationships, covering that up with pretend worldliness, or is there something special about this situation? It's hard to read his reaction to Ben without this info - is Marco surprised to be found beautiful, or does he get chased every night out? How integrated into queer community is he? How is it possible that he can put together a look like he can, he's worked a makeup counter in NYC, he goes out regularly, and he hasn't met any friends who do drag yet at age 22?
Ben's interest is still played as sweet, but it's starting to veer toward uncomfortable for me after this episode; a senior coworker holding onto that Polaroid with so much intensity is not great.