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transmediaclubAn Army of One: The Autistic Secession in Space is a poetic series set between the Galactic Arms in an area called the Lacuna. It is science fiction with two main themes. The first is neurodiversity and the second is sex/gender dynamics. Many of these poems have been prompted and/or sponsored by various people who are neurovariant or have uncommon sex/gender identity or orientation.
The neurodiversity started out primarily with autism, but has subsequently branched out to many other mental differences. Consider this:
Autigender: a gender that can only be understood in the context of being autistic. Meant for autistic people only.
While that word isn't in the storyline, it seems congruent, because the neurovariant characters often have different sex/gender dynamics than the average.
The actual sex/gender dynamics span several characters and concepts, mostly variations on nonbinary. The series as a whole does not have a consistent lead character, but rather a variety of main characters who each take the lead in different installments, along with a bunch more side characters. Some installments are specifically about sex/gender journeys, while others feature these characters dealing with the practical challenges of establishing a civilization between the Galactic Arms.
The AYES are digital persons, most of them sapient starships. A majority identify as neuter sex neutrois gender on account of being nonbiological, although they use different terminology, and they object to humans misgendering them (that tendency to call ships "she," usually). They typically use "it/its" pronouns. A few prefer a different sex/gender, and there are humans who identify as neuter/neutrois who like interacting with the AYES. The AYES first appear in "Jumpship."
Tink 001 is a human starship mechanic who identifies more with AYES and uses "it/its" pronouns. It is a side character. It first appears in "Mosaic Identities."
Astin is a human trader who does not identify as male/masculine or female/feminine, and uses xe/xyr pronouns. Xe is a main character who appears in a number of episodes, beginning with "Uncounted Colors of the Stars."
The gender terminology that the AYES and Astin wind up using is "Other" (on forms) and "other-gendered" in conversation, as described in "Uncounted Colors of the Stars."
Sphinx is a human who has declared Other as well, and uses the pronouns ey, eir, em. Ey is a side character, first appearing in "Other Options."
Leor is a young human who identifies as.agender, aromantic, and asexual using they/them pronouns. They moved to the Lacuna to get other-gendered paperwork and B'nai Mitzvah. Leor is a side character who first appears in "Knitting at the Ready."
V is a very wealthy human from the Alta Familia who is still figuring out sex/gender identity and uses V/V's pronouns. V is a main character who appears in a number of installments, first appearing in "Too Expensive to Ship Back."
Some additional characters are tilted in a less-common place on the sex/gender spectrum without being "Other." The young jumpship pilot Bexley is "a girl, but not a girly girl," and agrees with other people's description of her as a tomboy. She is a side character who appears in several installments.
Due to the number and diversity of characters with sex/gender differences, they can talk with each other about such topics or about other things, as well as interacting with cis characters. Since the Lacuna is a nascent society, it is still evolving language and customs regarding these things, and is turning out completely different from the Arms on either side (who don't get along well).
This series is ongoing. Additions may be requested during any relevant prompt calls, such as the Poetry Fishbowl atysabetwordsmith or the crowdfunding Creative Jam.
The neurodiversity started out primarily with autism, but has subsequently branched out to many other mental differences. Consider this:
Autigender: a gender that can only be understood in the context of being autistic. Meant for autistic people only.
While that word isn't in the storyline, it seems congruent, because the neurovariant characters often have different sex/gender dynamics than the average.
The actual sex/gender dynamics span several characters and concepts, mostly variations on nonbinary. The series as a whole does not have a consistent lead character, but rather a variety of main characters who each take the lead in different installments, along with a bunch more side characters. Some installments are specifically about sex/gender journeys, while others feature these characters dealing with the practical challenges of establishing a civilization between the Galactic Arms.
The AYES are digital persons, most of them sapient starships. A majority identify as neuter sex neutrois gender on account of being nonbiological, although they use different terminology, and they object to humans misgendering them (that tendency to call ships "she," usually). They typically use "it/its" pronouns. A few prefer a different sex/gender, and there are humans who identify as neuter/neutrois who like interacting with the AYES. The AYES first appear in "Jumpship."
Tink 001 is a human starship mechanic who identifies more with AYES and uses "it/its" pronouns. It is a side character. It first appears in "Mosaic Identities."
Astin is a human trader who does not identify as male/masculine or female/feminine, and uses xe/xyr pronouns. Xe is a main character who appears in a number of episodes, beginning with "Uncounted Colors of the Stars."
The gender terminology that the AYES and Astin wind up using is "Other" (on forms) and "other-gendered" in conversation, as described in "Uncounted Colors of the Stars."
Sphinx is a human who has declared Other as well, and uses the pronouns ey, eir, em. Ey is a side character, first appearing in "Other Options."
Leor is a young human who identifies as.agender, aromantic, and asexual using they/them pronouns. They moved to the Lacuna to get other-gendered paperwork and B'nai Mitzvah. Leor is a side character who first appears in "Knitting at the Ready."
V is a very wealthy human from the Alta Familia who is still figuring out sex/gender identity and uses V/V's pronouns. V is a main character who appears in a number of installments, first appearing in "Too Expensive to Ship Back."
Some additional characters are tilted in a less-common place on the sex/gender spectrum without being "Other." The young jumpship pilot Bexley is "a girl, but not a girly girl," and agrees with other people's description of her as a tomboy. She is a side character who appears in several installments.
Due to the number and diversity of characters with sex/gender differences, they can talk with each other about such topics or about other things, as well as interacting with cis characters. Since the Lacuna is a nascent society, it is still evolving language and customs regarding these things, and is turning out completely different from the Arms on either side (who don't get along well).
This series is ongoing. Additions may be requested during any relevant prompt calls, such as the Poetry Fishbowl at
ysabetwordsmith or the crowdfunding Creative Jam.
