Queerness in a Post-Flash Olathe
The very nature of LISA lends itself to discussions of toxic masculinity. It's a major overarching theme in Painful, and is carried on in fangames like Hopeful. The way of life in post-Flash Olathe is violent, angry, and hateful. When this masculinity is challenged, the q-word comes into play. Toxic masculinity and homophobia are good friends, after all.
As a gay and trans person, I've always been fascinated by the discussion that LISA creates regarding manhood. I don't fall into these tropes of masculinity, so watching them play out is deeply curious. I am especially intrigued by those who go against these norms, and how the world at large treats them. I want to talk about queerness in a world where there's nothing left.
The Beehive is such an important element to this conversation, even if their presence in Painful isn't massive. The interactions we get when working as a Bee and the conversations we have with Queen are vital to understanding how queerness is treated.
The initial interaction at the Beehive is incredibly telling of the typical treatment the workers receive. Note how the Bees are confined to their own corner of Olathe, in a dangerous swamp with a reputation for weirdos like Bo and the fishmen. They are not an accepted part of Olathe- they are a group of others. They are mocked, harassed, and referred to with derogatory language on the regular. I would think they're no strangers to violence, either.
Queen Dianne Roger is the most interesting of the bunch, because he is actually a recruitable party member. He was even given a unique campfire interaction in Definitive Edition that really expands on his character. Queen's background in the art book explicitly says he was ostracized as a child for his crossdressing behaviour, and that the bullying gave him thick skin and a tendency towards violence. He's such an interesting take on this sort of character (even if the depiction is vaguely transphobic)- even if he presents femininely, he has the manly traits that make him respectable in Olathe. That is why he can work as a party member over any of the other Bees- he is still masculine in how he behaves himself. After all, putting on panties didn't make his balls disappear.
When Brad puts on the dress for Slave Lord Jim, it's degrading. Brad feels weaker because of his feminization. I think it's valid to feel uncomfortable with certain clothing, but I also think reflection as to why should go along with that feeling.
I'd argue that queerness isn't a taboo in Olathe, or at least not to the extent we are led to believe, but it is still seen as a weakness of character. My mind goes to the various dancers we see on our journeys- the Mario and Luigi reference characters are watching a man in lipstick and fishnets dance for them in Aurora Town, and the band that Buddy stumbles across has similarly dressed dancers as well. These characters are never really expanded on, but their presence indicates that they exist, and that's enough. The dancers, like the Bees, are often on the receiving end of hateful language. They are not respected, but they are a part of Olathe nonetheless.
LISA: the Painful released in 2014, and is a product of its time. I doubt there was much thought or intention put into these characters, or queerness at all. Olathe is, at its core, a backdrop for a story about trauma. The world is not the priority, but a tool to further a narrative. It's hard to have nuanced discussions about Olathe without speculation and fanon material. It's hard to know what queerness looks like in a setting that barely considered it.
Thank you for reading my first post! I'm very excited to write more stuff in the future. Stay safe this pride month!
This post was brought to you by Benny!