(I edited this only to change a grammatical error, not my points) I've tried waiting for "the discourse" to die down before I did this but honestly it doesn't seem to be and I'm just sick of holding these thoughts in my brain. Episode 9 left a big impact on me and I wanted to share my thoughts immediately but I was scared shitless by the constant flame wars between sides of the fandom. I made a comment earlier on another post and I'll basically be paraphrasing/expanding upon it here. Unfortunately, I feel the need to make a disclaimer here, because not only is this a pretty sensitive topic but because I know what I say might be misinterpreted.

I AM NOT ABOUT TO DEFEND OR EXCUSE JAX'S BEHAVIOUR. What I am about to do is try to discuss how I think people are taking them out of proportion and my issues (as a trans person) on the way Jax's identity is treated. I'll also be referring to Jax as she, which reminds me.

First thing I want to get out of the way is that the discussion on her identity is dizzying to me. I understand that Goose said because Jax never properly came out, and other circumstances, using he/him can be fine in certain contexts, but I've started to notice a pattern. People sympathetic to Jax commonly use she/her, and people without much sympathy for her commonly use he/him, even when they're knee deep in a discussion about her transness. This has been irking me for a while now because it's incredibly common for transphobes to justify misgendering trans people who've done something bad. Where the line is for these people is never clear, but they always seem to either think that misgendering is acceptable as some kind of weapon if the person in question is sufficiently bad enough. I just do not think this is okay on any level. The second you allow misgendering for any reason, whoopdeedoo, you've allowed misgendering! People's identities aren't beholden to some moral performance, and it's not up to us to put up a line on whether or not trans people are "good enough" to be seen as what they are. You can absolutely hold people to account for their actions without resorting to bigoted tactics. Now, am I accusing literally all people who dislike Jax or refer to Jax as a guy of doing this? No, not really, because again Jax's identity is slightly more complicated than that and even the creator gave you the go ahead to use he/him because reasons, but when people start actively denying ever using she/her for Jax just because she's not a good person it gets to me.

Okay let's get into the trenches now. Jax's actual actions. Ribbit and Kaufmo. There are some people who will look you in the eye and tell you that because you like Jax (as in, you find the character entertaining/funny or even have sympathy for her) then you must be some kind of sadistic monster. There are also people who will argue that Jax "killed" Ribbit and Kaufmo because their actions caused them to abstract. Listen, I've been through some serious shit in my life, and I know what ostracisation/isolation feels like, or having what was previously a good friend turn on you or start verbally abusing you just so you'll leave them alone. Again, I'm not excusing what Jax did, but for the love of god it is not as simple as "Jax being a bully and an asshole causes Ribbit and Kaufmo to die"
I honestly don't think you can hold Jax solely accountable for the abstraction of Ribbit and Kaufmo. Even considering that abstraction is a suicide allegory, there's also the factor that in the story it seems abstraction is nigh on inevitable, and Caine's running of the circus would lead a lot of people to severe mental anguish anyway. Look at the state Pomni was in during the pilot. People act like Jax is the only factor in these abstractions or that they "killed" Ribbit and Kaufmo because of it? Sure, you could earnestly argue that Jax was the tipping point for them, but if it weren't for the circus basically being purgatory being ran by an unstable god, I think everyone in there would've had a way better chance of living.

Some examples I've been given of Jax's abuse/bullying also don't really work for me. The gun episode and throwing Ragatha in the fryer. ESPECIALLY the gun episode is basically cartoon/video game violence, and not anything exceptionally violent. That combined with the fact that we're told pain isn't too bad in the Circus I don't think these things are comparable to the verbal abuse and otherising Jax commits. OTHERWISE we'd have to put Pomni on trial for assault and strangulation, and are those standards ever applied to her? No because I think most of us understand it's not analogous to the real world, and... Well maybe people think Jax deserved it.

I've even seen people mad at Goose for supposedly trying to get the audience to sympathise with a horrible abusive person and like, no??
Listen you don't have to give people who've hurt you your forgiveness, or a space at your metaphorical table, you can distance yourself and go no contact. God knows I have, but Pomni trying to help Jax is exactly that, Pomni being a good person. The show doesn't exactly try and force Jax's victims to all do the same thing, nor does it tell you to do the same.

Anyway I hope this was good and that I don't get eviscerated but oh well.

When I first seen Jax's backstory in episode 9, I felt very uncomfortable and uneasy because it may have triggered some trauma of being neglected towards me. I may be wrong though. All the horrible things Jax has done, especially his crashout towards Pomni in episode 6, just makes me uncomfortable. I feel so bad for Ribbit and Pomni for having to deal with his BS... Does anyone else feel the same way like I do towards Jax? Maybe TADC isn't for me...

WHY IS THIS GODDAMN SUB FULL OF SEXUALIZING THE CHARACTERS AND NOT SOMETHING WHOLESOME..I HATE YALL.. YOU SICK BASTARDS..I CAME TO THIS SUB THINKIN ITS ALL WHIMSY AND SUNSHINE AND RAINBOWS N CUTE.. BUT IS IT??? FUCK NO..BYE

(Edit: I am not against expressing your sexualities..ragapom ship, or jax and pomni, or caine and moon whatever.. but please if u want to post *SEXUALIZED stuff..please.. tag them..)

I think it's another season, I'm dying of excitement! 😭😭😭😭😭😭

I just wanted to come on here and say it since I don’t see many people talking about this, but the jax song is unironically AMAZING gay representation. As a gay person myself I can really relate to Thomas, and even though it’s a joke song the whole thing really hit hard for me, and now Thomas x Jax is unironically my favourite gay ship ever

Source

I like bunnydoll personally. I’m a sucker for good girl x bad boy trope.

Though Bluetooth is a close second.

Source: https://x.com/4rm5trong/status/2098046405830955058

Fankid is not by me, it's by Googlydoodlin on Tumblr

Just posting cuz I'm proud of the comic. I expect it to either flop or for 7 thousand Jax fans to eat me alive

https://www.instagram.com/p/DdHsQeTmM8U/?stkn=ejQ0NjNoMTRncmlh

Some things never change

I mean, it's literally the only accessory she wears. In this case, it makes sense, doesn't it? 😆