I'd almost forgotten the claims that Aang/Katara was pedophilia... Good times. By which I mean, "Damnit, Avatar fandom, why can't you stop being stupid?" Putting aside the whole pedophilia vs. hebephilia deal, because no one ever seems to care about that, they're only what, two years apart? Three? *headdesk*
Let us put aside the cultural context of Aang and Katara's world for a moment. Let us examine the fact that Aang is the Avatar. And he was forced to start training as the Avatar four years before the norm. He is the last of his people because they were all slaughtered. He's not a normal twelve year old boy.
And an important part of Aang and Katara's relationship is that she looks up and yields to his wisdom. They relate as equals. Katara stops thinking of him as a little kid (and she hardly thought of him that way all the time) after The Fortuneteller.
But let's even take away the fandom element. To imply that Katara is abusing Aang because you dislike their relationship is deeply offensive to me because I've been molested and raped by adult men who had power over me as a child. To say that what they have is anything like what I suffered through enrages me.
But I never got the impression the pedo insult was directed at the characters, but was more directed at calling the people who ship them pedo (which is in and of itself far worse and just insulting and below the belt behavior). And like you i have suffered sexual assault, so it is offensive on that level alone.
But it galls me because the only ones who seem obsessed with calling out mysterious deviant likings, over-sexualization, etc. in Avatar and who are obsessed with Aang and Katara's underage sex lives (granted there is some canon folks who do that too) are in fact those who tear down the ship. Look at all the EEWW remarks to the kiss, the inferences that because they shared a kiss more than a peck it will lead to immediate sex in the future, etc.
Not to mention the alternative to Kataang (Zutara) isn't without its uber-squickiness as well.
But it galls me because the only ones who seem obsessed with mysterious deviant likings in Avatar and who are obsessed with Aang and Katara's underage sex lives (granted there is some canon folks who do that too) are in fact those who tear down the ship. That's basically what I see.
Look I'm not going to deny there probably are some people who like Aang/Katara because they're both underage in this world because this world is filled with sick people.
But like. Aang/Katara is filled with fluff and stuff over PG tends to have them aged up.
Oh, I know there are. I've seen it. But it is not so rampant as to define an entire group of shippers. And if it is seen, the Kataang fandom on the whole tries to distance itself.
But I have to ask: Why do you freaking care that much, Kataang-haters?
Aaaaaaanyway. Yeah.
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And an important part of Aang and Katara's relationship is that she looks up and yields to his wisdom. They relate as equals. Katara stops thinking of him as a little kid (and she hardly thought of him that way all the time) after The Fortuneteller.
But let's even take away the fandom element. To imply that Katara is abusing Aang because you dislike their relationship is deeply offensive to me because I've been molested and raped by adult men who had power over me as a child. To say that what they have is anything like what I suffered through enrages me.
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But it galls me because the only ones who seem obsessed with calling out mysterious deviant likings, over-sexualization, etc. in Avatar and who are obsessed with Aang and Katara's underage sex lives (granted there is some canon folks who do that too) are in fact those who tear down the ship. Look at all the EEWW remarks to the kiss, the inferences that because they shared a kiss more than a peck it will lead to immediate sex in the future, etc.
Not to mention the alternative to Kataang (Zutara) isn't without its uber-squickiness as well.
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That's basically what I see.
Look I'm not going to deny there probably are some people who like Aang/Katara because they're both underage in this world because this world is filled with sick people.
But like. Aang/Katara is filled with fluff and stuff over PG tends to have them aged up.
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But I have to ask: Why do you freaking care that much, Kataang-haters?
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