X-Men rec: Identity Broadcast by Alara J Rogers
Title: Identity Broadcast
Author:
Alara J Rogers
Fandom: New X-Men
Characters/Pairings: Charles, Hank, Scott, Emma
Length: 6000 words
Warnings: None
Identity Broadcast by Alara J Rogers
As the summary puts it: "How exactly does a biological male have an identical twin sister, anyway?" Charles Xavier is a transman and has been using his telepathy to pass for a very long time.
This fic - set shortly after M-Day where the total number of mutants has been drastically reduced - is a fascinating look at how identity is formed, how we share that identity with others, and what, exactly, might be considered a lie by those who see dissonance between a biological and psionic identity. Charles is adamant that he isn't "lying" or "faking", but at the same time he has interfered with other people's minds (yet again), and no-one but Emma is entirely willing to accept Charles' explanation that it was all completely natural to him. Other fic writers - especially since X-Men First Class came out - have examined the idea of telepaths having very different ethics to non-telepaths, but this fic really crystallises that idea and examines it from every angle. One thing that I find particularly fascinating is that only one person - Charles - tries to discuss his identity in terms of gender and life experience. Emma doesn't care, and everyone else is focused Charles altering their perceptions and breaching their trust. Charles considers himself unique rather than part of a broader community of trans people; Hank's focus is on his genetic research; Scott's on security and past betrayals; and Emma, not surprisingly, is the one to point out how very unlike anyone else's situation Charles's is.
It's a complex story, and no-one is in the right, but it felt very true to the rather insular X-Men at this time in canon: their primary concern really is mutants and taking care of their own, and their world is somewhat smaller because of it.
Author:
Alara J Rogers
Fandom: New X-Men
Characters/Pairings: Charles, Hank, Scott, Emma
Length: 6000 words
Warnings: None
Identity Broadcast by Alara J Rogers
As the summary puts it: "How exactly does a biological male have an identical twin sister, anyway?" Charles Xavier is a transman and has been using his telepathy to pass for a very long time.
This fic - set shortly after M-Day where the total number of mutants has been drastically reduced - is a fascinating look at how identity is formed, how we share that identity with others, and what, exactly, might be considered a lie by those who see dissonance between a biological and psionic identity. Charles is adamant that he isn't "lying" or "faking", but at the same time he has interfered with other people's minds (yet again), and no-one but Emma is entirely willing to accept Charles' explanation that it was all completely natural to him. Other fic writers - especially since X-Men First Class came out - have examined the idea of telepaths having very different ethics to non-telepaths, but this fic really crystallises that idea and examines it from every angle. One thing that I find particularly fascinating is that only one person - Charles - tries to discuss his identity in terms of gender and life experience. Emma doesn't care, and everyone else is focused Charles altering their perceptions and breaching their trust. Charles considers himself unique rather than part of a broader community of trans people; Hank's focus is on his genetic research; Scott's on security and past betrayals; and Emma, not surprisingly, is the one to point out how very unlike anyone else's situation Charles's is.
It's a complex story, and no-one is in the right, but it felt very true to the rather insular X-Men at this time in canon: their primary concern really is mutants and taking care of their own, and their world is somewhat smaller because of it.