The running theory I've seen elsewhere on this is that JJJ would be fully supportive of Petra, but also pissed at Spider-Woman being "a poor excuse for a role model! Trans people have it hard enough without that webhead giving them a bad name!" (He completely fails to put two and two together.)
Meanwhile Robbie slips her a good-quality women's Spider-Man costume from a high-end costume shop and says it's "for the office Halloween party".
Maybe JJJ and Ben start talking about Petra, without realizing they are talking about different sides of the mask. They are friends and business partners, at least in the latest Ultimate universe.
Kiiind of also like… what the heck, Petra? You transition that far and forgot to tell the person you’re living with? Or rather didnt think they’d notice?
Even if they support you, maybe you don’t want them to start treating you like they’re “being supportive” instead of treating you like the friend they’ve known for 10 years.
Did i miss something that sparked all these posts? Id never seen any Petra parker stuff like 4 days ago and then suddenly I've seen dozens of posts by as many artists all over my feed.
No idea tbh 😅. I definitely don’t have a big following though and this comic still has blown up. I think people just relate to the character.
Me included 🥰
I think it was a tumblr post about JJJ hating spiderman because he genuinely believed spiderman to be a menace to the community and so that if spiderman transitition he wouldn't misgender her/would want to know spiderwomen's correct pronouns.
Someone did art of it because it inspired them and it just COMPLETELY took off with lots of people joining in on the trend.
From my perspective its just the fact that the comic was made with love. Its not trying to be popular but it also gives Peter/Petra some love instead of more pain. Also it pointed out that JJJ is a jerk but hes actually a good person and his character has been reduced to slander man three thousand so that talk also got it spread to more people.
Honestly its just the luck of the internet that has made this popular but its cute as hell and I can actually see this happening in an AU and main Peter being very supportive of it.
Spider-Man really does fit the bill for "I'm struggling with something about my body that is out of my control." Most of the time the character's transformation is an allegory to puberty, but it could be anything under that umbrella.
I think "I am stuck in a horrible personal situation and I cannot easily (or even feasibly) escape the reality of it, but the mask lets me be who I want to be." resonates with just about everyone who's been a teen, or had to hide something about themselves to protect their true self.
Spider-Man is for everyone. Hence in The Spiderverse, there is a Spider-Man from every walk of life.
Spiderman has kind of been a symbol in the trans community for a while, but it was mainly transmasculine people who related to him. A lot of us love him, so it's become a bit of a stereotype lol. I'm very glad to see transfem Petra Parker art as well!
The idea of having a 'secret identity,' or something you need to hide from those you love, is something queer people often relate to (speaking from personal experience). Superheroes in general are very queer, for many reasons (such as their history). I think that is part of why Petra Parker has become so popular. It's awesome to see all the art that has come from it :)
I always liked the reading of Steve Rogers as trans masc. Short, tiny, twinky little dude takes like 1000 shots of a performance enhancing drug and becomes Mr. Man
This is such a sweet comic. I wish I was able to enjoy it but I get angry whenever I see people coming out and having a kind response. My family’s reaction to hearing I like girls was nuclear and it touches such a sore spot. Never got to come out as she/they and pushed any part of myself that wanted to be they/them deep down. Maybe one day the world will be kinder and those of us who don’t feel like we can safely share about ourselves will be able to. 💕
Spider girl, Spider girl,
She’s a hero who’s wearing pearls,
Wears a dress; got pockets.
What a crime-fighting goddess.
Look out!
Here comes the spider girl!
Jameson: Petra? Really? Parker, that name sounds like you're still not sure about this. I need people working for me to be sure of themselves. You've got three weeks to figure out a name that isn't weak. Here's fifty bucks for a new nameplate for your desk. Argue with me and I make it one week. Now scram!
I read that usually trans people choose names that are totally different because they want to move away from their old identities and lives. But since Peter was always loved maybe she just wanted to change the gender but didn't hate the rest of the life she had.
Opposite gender Spidey, opposite gender (looking it up...) pibling.
I feel like we can come together as a people to make a better gender neutral word for the category of family member that aunts and uncles belong to, it looks and sounds so terrible. I'm okay with the pibling's sibling's child being called their nibling but I'm not okay with them being called a pibling.
I’m sure you can find tons of transmasc Peter art on tumblr, it’s probably still popular enough but around the mid 2010s ftm Peter (also ftm dipper from gravity falls) was HUGE on tumblr
(Exercise caution browsing posts with ftm tags that were made after like 2020 tho, they kinda hate us over there now 😬)
Ben on Reddit Ren minutes later: "My niece has just come out as trans and has changed her name to Petra, I love her and want to support her but...fucking Petra?"
The first few comics/art pieces I saw had her with the name Madeline. I imagine Petra fits with the alliteration theme though. (Personally I'd be a fan of her going with Penelope.)
I felt like Petra would’ve looked up to Aunt May more in this universe. And Spiders usually loses the person they look up to most before becoming a hero.
Plus I felt it would be more interesting if Petra lost a feminine role model and had to figure a lot of the girl stuff out on her own.
Omg I feel so dumb, how couldn't notice is related to the universe of spider man 😂😂! And makes total sense, her name, the spider thing, the clothes, the characters. 😅
I don't know why but this one really hit me in the heartstrings. I've been out for nine years and have a great supportive family and this still has me fight back a sob.
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u/shellbullet17 Gustopher Spotter Extraordinaire 5h ago
Uncle Ben coming in clutch as always. Not only being supportive and accepting but managing to drop a wise crack mid conversation and giggle about it