Lillian's view on sexuality

[Chloé C.]

A few people were having very interesting takes on their interpretation of Lillian and how she perceives sexuality. And when a forum was created, that's the kind of topic I found interesting to have here. (instead of having all the updates here when there's already a comment section on the website xD heh)

If you'd like, you can talk about it here :) I love hearing people's opinion on the matter. Don't worry/get your hopes up, nothing you say here will affect on how I've shaped Lillian to be. This is just an excuse for a kind conversation between Roomie readers.

Here are the comments already made on the topic:

"I might be mistaken, but I could have sworn Lil' had a prior lover. Not to mention, it's entirely possible that despite the folks she's hanging with, Roomie and the gang, she may just not be attracted to any of them. Something a lot of folks tend to misunderstand about sexual openness is the idea that, by virtue of liking free and open sex, you'll screw anyone, any time. Insofar as we are, I don't know if Lilian has spotted anyone she really digs, sexually or romantically." -Anonymous (http://batlesbo.tumblr.com/post/42305246880/i-might-be-mistaken-but-i-could-have-sworn-lil-had-a)

"Does it bother or disappoint you that some people are dismayed (and seemingly upset, in some cases) that Roomie continues her poly-amorous ways "in spite of" her perceived relationship with Lillian? That readers can accept a lesbian relationship but an open relationship is somehow wrong (even when no relationship beyond friendship has been implied between Roomie and Lillian anyway)?" -themymblesdaughter (http://batlesbo.tumblr.com/post/42307992092/does-it-bother-or-disappoint-you-that-some-people-are)

"Since Lillian (and her perceived sexuality) seems to be a topic of discussion, I'd like to share how I interpreted it, though I might be wrong and will accept that if I am. I got the impression that because of the situation she's in, she has just been kinda "asleep" about the subject of sex, and the opportunity to play with innuendo's and the exposure to Roomie might be slowly awakening that option in her. A bit like: "oh yes, that part of life did exist, I forgot. Now let me practise flirting."" -belgianwhovian (http://batlesbo.tumblr.com/post/42308249922/since-lillian-and-her-perceived-sexuality-seems-to-be)

"I don't know, I'm still a little hooked on the idea of Lil' being something of a human shield. A person with many walls and layers that perhaps Roomie is slowly helping to take down. It's not that she's against sexuality, if she was against it she probably wouldn't stick around. I interpreted it more as detachment, and now possibly looking for that happy medium." -gypsy-lyric

So, what say you? :)

[Artemisia]

Chloe...sexuality or romantic nature?

I'm not sure what Lilian wants from a partner...and not sure what she wants in terms of their sex.

I'd love to think that she'll end up with Roomie...but at the same time, I'm not sure if that is what will happen.

[GypsyLyric]

I'm not sure if I have strong feelings either way if Lillian and Roomie ever get together, I'd like to see them both end up happy. I see Roomie as a person that enjoys her freedom, I can totally relate and understand the importance of that. With that being said, I think it would be odd for her to settle down with anyone at this time, even Lillian. Maybe someday, but not today. The development of their friendship is just as enjoying to watch, I feel like they're finding a balance that may work for them as individuals.

[Aaron]

I always presumed that Lillian's past and how she came to be so closed-off to begin with was just interconnected with her sexual desires, thereby kind of just closing them away and not letting them develop. I think we're starting to see her grow, and with that, her sexual feelings and thoughts. Whenever she heard innuendo before, she used to have no idea what the other person was referring to or she had the reaction like "oh right, that's a sex thing or whatever". I'm excited to see where she goes!

[Azrael]

Chloé, I do apologize if my making threads about each comic annoys you and can stop if you like.

As to the subject of this thread: I've been trying to think of something to say here, but when I come right down to it, I just don't care what Lillian's sexuality turns out to be in the end. Admittedly, I think I 'ship Lillian and Roomie, at least a little. However, that being said, to me, it won't make a difference if Lillian turns out to be hetero-, homo-, bi-, pan, or even asexual for that matter. One of the many things about the human condition that I have never really understood is people getting bent out of shape over who someone else prefers to play bedroom games with. And that's pretty much all I have to say on the subject. I enjoy the comic, please keep up the good work.

[BlairFan]

Lillian seems to me be either a repressed lesbian or lesBian. I recall her dreaming about Roomie in such a way as to suggest this. Believe it or not, although I'm a man, I feel a certain affinity to Lillian. It's in her relation to sleep and sleeping. I love to nap and I hate getting up early. I like Lillian because I think she is well-meaning and intelligent.

[MuchachoNL]

I think Lil' Tyke was never really interested in this whole "sex-thing", as she would probably call it, but is slowly opening up to Roomie's antics.
No amount of past would make you seem this cold and apathic towards anything sex related...
Scared, yes. Panicking whenever something sex related comes near you, yes. But a mere 'meh' towards the fact that there's someone flirting with you, hell no.

Shipping Roomie and Lillian is a very interesting option, where they both learn from eachother to step out of their own extremes.
As in Roomie giving Lillian enough energy and affection to 'live a little', and Lillian bringing Roomie down from frantic fuck-it-all to admitting to her true feelings.

[GypsyLyric]

@ MuchachoNL

You'd be amazed. It's not always linked to things like a traumatizing past, a lot of the time it's just the way you are, or how you become over time. When you spend a lot of time alone, constantly in your own company and away from everyone else, your loneliness develops into a cold distance. You don't mean to come off as untouchable, you just sort of are... It takes a great big person to fill up a great big hole (quit snickering, you know what I mean), not just anyone can bring you back to the warm way you used to be.

[MuchachoNL]

Basically that's exactly what I'm trying to say, since I saw some speculations on traumatising past events.

When I look back at this thread I don't know where, though...

[GypsyLyric]

Oh okay, my mind is wrapping around it now. When I read it before, the words didn't compute, and I thought you meant something like "normally people who are very traumatized go through what LT is experiencing" or something, and I was like "Nuh uh! See...?" Sorry, I got confused, my brain does that to me... so do my eyes.

[MuchachoNL]

No harm, no foul

I just couldn't find the proper words

[GypsyLyric]

I have that problem in real life :S I stumble through my words constantly

[MuchachoNL]

For me it's the annoying fact that English is my second language and I tend to make sentences longer than they need to be.
And due to the fact that I work with Italians (I'm Dutch) my English is getting worse, rather than better, because they suck at English as well.
So I'm basically digging my own grave... and I just found out my expletive is "basically".... lol

[GypsyLyric]

Lucky you, my first language is English, and I still suck! XD

[Lyx]

Hmm, there are actually two questions implied, and the answer to them may not be the same one.

On the one hand, there is the question about Lillian's sexuality. On the other hand, there is the question what that means for her relationship with roomie, and how it will develop. But lillians sexuality may not actually matter for how she and roomie treat each other. That's because both have a very special relationship, and its base isn't sex. Sure, it may in the future include sex, but it may just as well happen, that either of both (yes, even roomie!) may decide to keep it out. Actually, i could imagine that if lillian would offer sex, roomie could flip out and actually be frightened. Again, as for the why, consider why they stick together for now, and why currently no one else can give roomie that.

Also, consider that the comic as much deals with polarities, as it deals with fusion and "just me". Currently, roomie and lillian are kinda opposite polarities (just like their "kids" ironically). Even though, they've begun to get closer to each other in mentality, they may decide to not actually get close enough for sex, and instead keep the "each complements the other"-setup instead of starting to fusion.

On the other hand: No sexual relationship.... or even a relationship that only "sometimes" involves sex (so, sex just being a bonus, not a neccessity).... doesn't mean that it cannot develop more intimately from here. I mean, its a bit as if people only consider the options "she won't touch her evar" and "they someday will go at it like rabbits". For example, lillian so far has refused to even just cuddle! They could decide to go as far as loving each other mentaly as well as materially, yet stopping short of outright sex (or as i wrote above, just sex as an option sometimes, but not a neccessity).

What i do know however, is that it would be quite a bit of a downer, if they materially wouldn't get closer at all. That would be like a yearlong tease, without anything coming out of it. Sure, it may not be sex, but heck, if they won't get to at least kiss and hug each other openly, without any pretense or joke, but just honest "i like you, a lot", that would make the whole "direction" of the comic, since years, just a long tease with no substance behind it.

As for lillians sexuality. I have no idea at this point. She just seems to not care. Maybe she just never explored, maybe she actually doesn't care about sex (This would fit with roomie and lillian being polar opposites. Though, it does not automatically mean that she cannot appreciate bodily attention, just like a young kid may like attention in a nonsexual way).