Trigger warnings are bullshit like all the other snowflake crap they foist on us. Trigger warnings could be good, but acceptable trigger warnings are about content that mentions guns, racism, homophobia or transphobia. Calling it a trigger warning implies that a person suffering from PTSD could suffer deep anguish and mental suffering.
In reality, a trigger warning indicates topics that Progressive crybullies wish didn’t exist.
Call it a content warning and include topics that some people might find unappealing.
The Vela is called a science fiction podcast, but it is an audiobook in serialized form. I’m listening to The Vela, and wish the description had been more forthcoming. Nobody mentioned that it is a feminist and queer narrative. They can’t mention those two items because to do so, would imply they are worth mentioning and not trivial details. Also, some people, like me, would not choose this title and the authors would not get the chance to make their case and win me over.
The feminist angle isn’t initially noticeable. Many male authors write novels with a strong woman as the central character. David Weber’s Honor Harrington series come to mind. In The Vela, women are the only significant and sympathetic characters. The protagonist’s father is an element of the story, but he isn’t a good guy. It just isn’t plausible that in her travels, the protagonist never encounters a man doing good work.
One specific queer element just makes the story go haywire. A major character is a young, non-binary, woman who uses “they” and “them” as pronouns. As events are described, it isn’t clear if the action refers to the non-binary woman or to her and other characters collectively. This confusion happens often and takes me out of the story. The non-binary nature of the character is not relevant in any way to the story. It is merely there for representation or indoctrination.
Switching your sex is biologically impossible. Making people pretend like the switch worked is coercing us into your delusion. Demanding plural pronouns for an individual is just inconsiderate.
I am not interested in queer themes. After reading reviews, I recently started watching the movie Saltburn. It’s a thriller that takes place in Oxford. It’s a gay love story. I’m not afraid of gay men, I just don’t want to see it. I know, the enlightened would smugly inform me that a gay love story is just a love story. Well, fuck right off with that. Even though I’m a straight, White, man, I still get to have my own preferences. Before deciding to watch Saltburn, I checked it out on IMDB. The gay aspect isn’t mentioned. I am supposed to think there is something wrong with me if I think that detail is pertinent. It is mentioned in tags for the listing, along with 214 other things like what English kings are mentioned and what songs are discussed.
As science fiction, The Vela is uninspired. There are a few interesting ideas, but there are many titles that are better. I’ll give it a 5/10 for being confusing.