Line #238 WebAnimation/Openness


1	->'''Zara:''' Are... Are we all...
2	->'''Scotty:''' Gay as hell?
3
4	''Openness'' is a dramedy machinima series created using ''Videogame/{{The Sims 2}}''. First uploaded on October 9th, 2015 by [[https://www.youtube.com/user/SnapshotOfASoul/featured SnapshotOfASoul]], the series follows a group of Canadian high school students across the LGBTQ+ spectrum and their surrounding community. Each episode is around 45-60 minutes long, and while there's no set schedule, they're usually released once a month. The first episode can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlU3aCgIEoo here]]. The series has a heavy focus on varying experiences with religion, sexuality, and intercommunity politics.
5
6	The series has seen praise within the sims machinima community for its entertaining representation of multiple sexualities and genders. ''Openness'' has characters identifying as the following; straight, gay, pansexual, asexual, aromantic, bisexual, transgender, cis, and non-binary.
7
8	----
9
10	!!''Openness'' contains examples of:
11	* AbusiveParents: A couple of examples:
12	** Fiona's father is physically, verbally and emotionally abusive.
13	** Berrie's mother is verbally abusive.
14	** Zara's mother is implied to have been abusive, or at least neglectful towards her eldest daughter.
15	** Though not his direct parent, Joseph can be construed as abusive to Erick.
16	* AdoptionDiss: Nikki to Emma, and Emma right back at Nikki. They're ''both'' adopted.
17	* AdultsAreUseless: The school's temporary guidance counsellor tells Jas they should try to act like everyone else and avoid expressing themself to fit in and avoid getting harassed.
18	%%* AgentPeacock: Virgil.
19	* AloneAmongTheCouples: Jas is this in the group, but seeing as they're aro-ace, they don't mind the role.
20	%%* AmbiguouslyBi: [[spoiler: Cal]].
21	%%* AmbiguousGender: Jas.
22	%%* ApatheticTeacher:
23	%%** Ms Westcott.
24	%%** Principal Daas, on occasion.
25	* ApologisesALot: Zara often internalises that she's fucked up and has to apologise.
26	%%** Fiona and her mother Esther.
27	%%** Cal does this a few times.
28	* ArrangedMarriage: [[spoiler: Fiona]]'s family is forcing him to be with [[spoiler: Erick]], and is told the only way he can see his friends is if [[spoiler: he formally accepts Erick's proposal]].
29	* ArtisticLicenseTraditionalChristianity: The main religious group is called the Traditionalists, and takes heavily from the director's own upbringing.
30	* AsTheGoodBookSays: Joseph often quotes the Bible to support his own views.
31	* TheAtoner: [[spoiler: Cal]] sees himself as this, having turned his attitude around after [[spoiler: his parents almost died in a car accident that left his mother disabled physically]].
32	* BathSuicide: [[spoiler: Fiona]] attempts one of these at the end of episode seven.
33	%%* BigBrotherInstinct: Cal.
34	* BigfootSasquatchAndYeti: Virgil is a novelist who writes stories about Bigfoot on a [[TheAllegedComputer very old computer]].
35	* BeYourself:
36	** This can be construed as the main message of the series.
37	** Jas tries to embody this message, even when other people tell them to do the exact opposite.
38	** Virgil towards Zara, because Zara doesn't think she's cool enough for her new-found friends.
39	* BeneathTheMask:
40	** Zara. She has depression and anxiety, yet always tries to put on a happy face around her friends out of fear they'll hate her if she doesn't.
41	** Fiona. Often very quiet about his struggles to the point [[spoiler: nobody knew he was trans except for Jas for ''months'']].
42	** Berrie often puts up an air of perfection when really she's constantly tired, verbally abused at home, and has her identity denied by her parents.
43	* BerserkButton:
44	** Berrie's mother has one of these when Berrie doesn't let her get her way.
45	** Joseph, when his religious beliefs are challenged in any way, shape, or form.
46	** Cal whenever Erick is even ''mentioned.''
47	** Fiona, when being told [[spoiler: that Erick wants her to have his children]].
48	** Scotty, around Erick.
49	** Everybody pretty much just hates Erick.
50	%%* BloodAndNerdy: Berrie.
51	* BloodIsSquickerInWater: At the end of episode seven, [[spoiler: Fiona]] is shown to be attempting suicide in the bath. The bathwater slowly turns red...
52	%%* BumblingDad: Virgil.
53	%%* CampGay:
54	%%** Jas.
55	%%** Scotty, on occasion.
56	%%** Adam's friends.
57	* CanadianEqualsHockeyFan: Hockey jerseys, ice rinks, and All-Star Games in the background of scenes are often little easter eggs that most non-Canadians miss. The creator put this in despite hating hockey himself.
58	* CantGetAwayWithNuthin: Jas constantly gets in trouble over anything and everything.
59	%%* CastFullOfGay
60	%%* ChewToy
61	%%** Fiona.
62	%%** Jas.
63	%%** Scotty.
64	* ChildHater
65	** Erick, but only towards his half-sister, because [[spoiler: she's mixed]].
66	** Fiona isn't too fond of children due to inexperience and fear, but [[WouldntHurtAChild would never harm one]].
67	* ChocolateBaby
68	** Scotty looks nothing like his paternal grandmother.
69	** Adam's younger half-sister is black.
70	** Emma presumes she was abandoned because of this trope.
71	* ColourCodedForYourConvenience: The main characters' names are coloured in using the flags of their respective identities in the opening.
72	** Pansexual flag for Zara and Emma.
73	** Asexual flag for Jas.
74	** Straight flag for Cal.
75	** Gay flag for Berrie.
76	** Gay ''and'' bisexual flag for Scotty.
77	** Transgender flag for Fiona.
78	%%* ComingOfAgeStory
79	* ComingOutStory: Most of the characters are open about their identities. [[spoiler: Fiona]], however, waits months to tell more than one person about being trans.
80	%%* CoolOldLady: Nana Hat.
81	* CrisisOfFaith
82	** Adam has one of these due to being both Catholic and gay.
83	** Cal was raised Christian but lost his faith due to [[spoiler: his parents being in a car accident]].
84	** Emma wonders aloud if the universe is out to get her.
85	%%* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Scotty.
86	* CultureClash
87	** The Traditionalists lead life to a completely different set of morals and views than the rest of the town.
88	** Zara grew up on a socially isolated goat farm and is completely baffled by half the things that people do.
89	** What may be normal to the creator (for example, abortion being considered a valid choice or Jas' character as a whole) may confuse viewers from more conservative countries or areas.
90	%%* DaddysGirl: Zara.
91	%%* DeadpanSnarker
92	%%** Emma.
93	%%** Berrie, occasionally.
94	%%** Ms Westcott.
95	%%** Jas.
96	* DeathbringerTheAdorable
97	** Richie's dog, Danger. In reality he's an elderly 15-year-old pitbull who mostly sleeps and wants to be pet.
98	* DeceasedParentsAreTheBest: Adam about his [[spoiler: father, who committed suicide]].
99	%%* DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife
100	%%** Emma.
101	%%** Fiona.
102	%%** Berrie.
103	** Erick is implied to have felt this before falling in with Joseph.
104	%%* DoesNotLikeMen: Berrie.
105	* DomesticAbuse:
106	** Joseph towards his wife and daughter.
107	** Berrie's mother towards her daughters.
108	** Erick towards Fiona and his brother, Adam.
109	** Erick often implies he'd neglect his infant half-sister [[spoiler: on the grounds of her being mixed]].
110	** [[spoiler: It's implied Zara's mother was fairly emotionally and physically abusive at times, as well as icing her ex-husband out.]]
111	* DrivenToSuicide:
112	** Esther was implied to have attempted suicide before, at the start of episode seven.
113	** [[spoiler: Fiona]] tries to kill himself at the end of episode seven.
114	** Cal almost ended his life before the series started.
115	** Zara, too.
116	%%* EatingLunchAlone: Zara.
117	%%* EntitledBastard: Erick and Joseph.
118	* EvilFeelsGood: Erick wrestles with this.
119	%%* EvilMentor: Joseph to Erick.
120	* FamilyBusiness:
121	** Nana Hat runs a bakery and wants Scotty to take the helm one day.
122	** Joseph runs a church and wishes for Erick and Fiona to take it over when he gets older.
123	%%* FollowInMyFootsteps:
124	%%** Joseph to Erick.
125	%%** Nana Hat to Scotty.
126	%%** Berrie's mother to Berrie.
127	* ForbiddenFruit: Fiona's friends are this. They represent everything that his father hates and forbids.
128	* FreeRangeChildren: Because it's a small town, most of the cast is free to roam about without much worry. Lampshaded when Greg spots [[spoiler: Scotty]] getting [[spoiler: beaten up in an alley]].
129	* FreakyFashionMildMind
130	** Zara dresses in wild, out-of-date attire but is actually fairly normal and self-aware.
131	** Emma dresses like it's Halloween every day but is very kindhearted.
132	** Most of the Traditionalists are the inverse of this. They have extremely conservative, old-fashioned, "family values" clothing, but most of them are pure evil.
133	* FriendToAllChildren
134	** Cal, due to having to be the parent to his younger siblings.
135	** Jas, also due to an overload of younger siblings.
136	** Adam, who takes care of his sister with a reverence unseen in most teenaged boys.
137	* FriendToAllLivingThings
138	** Virgil has seven cats.
139	** Zara was raised on a goat farm and is implied to be incredibly good with animals.
140	** Scotty, to the point of wanting to cat-nap one of Virgil's kitties.
141	%%* FriendlessBackground
142	%%** Zara.
143	%%** Cal.
144	%%** Fiona.
145	%%* TheFundamentalist: Joseph and Erick.
146	%%* TheGloriousWarOfSisterlyRivalry: Emma and Nikki.
147	* GenderInvertedTrope
148	** Scotty and Cal often engage in stereotypically feminine pursuits like painting their nails and having sleepovers.
149	** Scotty is a baker.
150	** Nana Hat can't cook.
151	** Virgil is a single dad, against his will, due to spousal abandonment.
152	** Cal is dependent on his girlfriend, Emma, instead of the other way around.
153	** Adam is the caretaker of his younger sister and loves her more than anything, ever.
154	** Berrie's mother is the overbearing and abusive one, whereas her father just serves as backup to her plans and ambitions.
155	%%* GoodParents
156	%%** Emma's mothers are this.
157	%%** Zara's dad, Virgil.
158	* GracefulLadiesLikePurple: Berrie wears a lot of purple and is also very rich.
159	%%* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold:
160	%%** Zara.
161	%%** Cal.
162	* HappilyAdopted:
163	** Scotty's paternal grandmother adopted him to avoid him [[spoiler: ending up in a Malaysian orphanage.]]
164	** Emma and Nikki love their mothers and were both adopted as infants.
165	%%* HappilyMarried:
166	%%** Cal's parents.
167	%%** Emma's mothers.
168	%%** Jas' parents.
169	* HarmfulToMinors: A few examples:
170	** Joseph's abusive behaviour around Ezra exposes him to violence he shouldn't have to see.
171	** Cal's little sister Siobhan is being bullied.
172	** Cal had to deal with breaking the news to his two sisters [[spoiler: that their parents were nearly killed in a car crash]].
173	%%* HaveIMentionedIAmGay:
174	%%** Berrie, to her parents.
175	** Emma, reminding people she's ''still'' pansexual, despite dating a guy.
176	** Jas, reminding everyone they're ace.
177	* HaveIMentionedIAmSexuallyActiveToday:
178	%%** Berrie, describing sex with Zara to Jas.
179	** Scotty is ''constantly'' teased for his flings on Grindr.
180	%%* HeteronormativeCrusader:
181	%%** Joseph.
182	%%** Erick.
183	%%** Berrie's parents.
184	%%* HouseHusband
185	%%** Berrie's dad, apparently.
186	%%** Virgil.
187	%%* {{Housewife}}
188	%%** Fiona's Mother.
189	%%** Cal's mother.
190	* IAmWhatIAm:
191	** Jas and their family accepts their nonbinary identity wholesale.
192	** Cal somewhat accepts that he has [[{{Polyamory}} more love to give than he can contain with one person.]]
193	** Berrie seems to accept herself, [[WhyCouldntYouBeDifferent even if her parents don't.]]
194	** Weed Guy Greg is pretty lax about the person he's become.
195	* IHaveNoSon:
196	** Berrie's mother to Hannah [[spoiler: after she had Thomas as a teenager]].
197	** Implied to have happened between Zara's mother, towards her daughter and ex-husband.
198	** Implied this will happen to Fiona if he [[spoiler: comes out as transgender]].
199	** In an inversion of this trope, Erick's mother, brother, and stepfather [[WhereDidWeGoWrong actually do care about him and refuse to disown him.]]
200	%%* IJustWantToHaveFriends: Zara.
201	* InherentlyFunnyWord: Jas towards Broden Lemmings telling them his name.
202	%%* InTouchWithHisFeminineSide
203	%%** Scotty and Cal.
204	%%** Virgil.
205	%%* IWantMyBelovedToBeFashionable: Berrie towards Zara.
206	* LightIsNotGood: More symbolic than overt. Dark, cluttered, browner places are homey and generally happy to be in, whereas cleaner, lighter places are often toxic environments rife with abuse.
207	%%* LivingEmotionalCrutch: Emma and Scotty are this to Cal.
208	* LipstickLesbian: Berrie and Nikki fall into this.
209	%%* LoserHasYourBack: Scotty.
210	%%* LoserProtagonist: Zara.
211	* MamaDidntRaiseNoCriminal: Inverted. Nana Hat seems well aware of what Scotty and Cal are up to.
212	* MandatoryMotherhood
213	** [[spoiler: Emma]] feels that the universe is forcing her to have her child in exchange for [[spoiler: giving her birth control to Fiona]].
214	** Esther was implied to have been forced into having Fiona and Ezra.
215	%%** Erick wants to get Fiona pregnant.
216	** Most of the Traditionalist women are forced into this by their husbands.
217	* MissingMom: Zara's mother abandoned them for a new husband and family, suddenly and without warning.
218	%%* ManipulativeBastard: Joseph.
219	* MassiveNumberedSiblings: It's not entirely clear how many siblings Jas really has. Just that there's a lot of them.
220	* MayDecemberRomance: Joseph is 18 years older than Esther.
221	%%* MosesInTheBulrushes: [[spoiler: Emma]] was abandoned as an infant and adopted by her mothers.
222	* MyMasterRightOrWrong:
223	** Erick towards Joseph, with an emphasis on "right."
224	** To some extent, Esther towards Joseph, with an emphasis on "wrong."
225	%%* NeverMyFault: Erick fully believes he's in the right.
226	%%* NewTransferStudent: Zara moved to Arbutus Falls from a rural, isolated goat farm.
227	%%* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Emma. She often tries to do the right thing but ends up failing miserably.
228	* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: Scotty beats [[spoiler: Erick]] into unconsciousness after he implies [[spoiler: he will be marrying Fiona]].
229	* NoSocialSkills
230	** Zara, due to growing up fairly isolated on a goat farm.
231	** Adam, due to [[spoiler: his ADHD]].
232	* NWordPrivileges: The cast can say the word "queer" around each other without it being insulting.
233	* OnlySaneMan: Jas feels like this on occasion.
234	* OpenMindedParent: Virgil, Zara's dad, is supportive of his daughter in every single way.
235	* ParentalAbandonment:
236	** Emma was abandoned at the hospital as an infant just after her birth.
237	%%** Zara's mother.
238	* PassFail
239	** The temporary guidance counsellor tries to give tips on how Jas can pass as 'normal' more.
240	** Berrie's mother desperately wants people to forget her family is black.
241	** Fiona is a [[UsefulNotes/{{Transgender}} trans guy]] who is being forced into [[StayInTheKitchen traditional]] [[WomenAreDelicate gender roles.]]
242	** Scotty is half-Malaysian. His name doesn't give it away at first.
243	* PersecutionFlip: Scotty seems to think this, referring to cishet people as "breeders". He may have just been teasing, though.
244	* PetTheDog: Erick used to go fishing with his [[spoiler: black]] stepfather.
245	* PinkMeansFeminine: Fiona's room was designed with pink as the predominant colour.
246	* PlayedForLaughs
247	** Scotty's cake being destroyed by a sudden snow.
248	** Zara knowing next to nothing about other cultures. Or, you know, her own.
249	** Adam's crush on Scotty can be seen as this.
250	** Scotty's phone being stolen and locked out for the weekend.
251	%%* PluckyComicRelief:
252	%%** Scotty gets the physical comedy end of things, falling asleep in odd places.
253	%%** Jas often gets the brunt of the sassy lines.
254	* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Joseph and Erick are racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, and generally just shitty people.
255	* PreachersKid: Fiona and his younger brother Ezra.
256	* PromotionToParent: Cal is a surrogate parent to his younger siblings [[spoiler: due to his parents being injured in a car crash]].
257	* ProperLady: Berrie's mother pressures her daughter into this.
258	* QuirkyTown: Arbutus Falls is this to some extent, housing everyone from Bigfoot novelists to lesbian police officers.
259	%%* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Erick rapes Fiona, and Fiona's father, Joseph, rapes her mother, Esther.
260	%%* RealMenWearPink
261	%%** Scotty has no problem showing his feminine side.
262	%%** Adam is shown having no problem wearing pink.
263	%%** Virgil is just a Mild Child at heart and loves cats, pink, and baking pies.
264	* RelationshipReveal: Berrie tries to reveal her relationship with Zara. [[spoiler: It doesn't end well.]]
265	* RunningGag
266	** Scotty and his Snickers bars. The boy will do anything to get his hands on some chocolate.
267	** Grindr is consistently the butt of many jokes - in one case, a literal butt is used. The principal himself is implied as having a public Grindr profile for all to see.
268	** Cal being ''increasingly'' done by Scotty's gay implications.
269	** Virgil often wears cat-themed attire and adopted seven cats [[spoiler: due to his wife leaving him]].
270	** Ms Westcott going to "the copy room" [[spoiler: to make out with the principal]].
271	** Jas eating other people's food without permission.
272	** Scotty's large stomach is often the butt of pregnancy jokes.
273	** "The Lesbian Cause" is a common joke and phrase used to jokingly spur other characters into action.
274	** The fact that they're the most hated group of people in the entire school is a joke in and of itself. Random insults are often flung.
275	** Most of the group is not very athletic. Except [[LesbianJock for]] [[AcademicAthlete Berrie]].
276	** Jas is [[PlotAllergy allergic]] to sports, fake jewellery, moss, and the colour taupe.
277	* Main/{{The Reliable One}}:
278	** Scotty. He never sleeps, so he's always there for his friends.
279	** Cal tries to be this for his family and loved ones.
280	* ScrewDestiny:
281	** [[spoiler: Emma]] absolutely refused to let Fiona get pregnant and [[spoiler: gave Fiona her birth control to prevent this from happening]].
282	** Zara, to Emma, after Emma [[spoiler: describes how she feels railroaded into having Cal's child by destiny]].
283	** Berrie is pressured into getting a [[MightyWhitey nice, white]] [[SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan husband]] and an entry to a [[UsefulNotes/IvyLeague prestigious university]] but mostly she just wants to be happy.
284	%%* SheCleansUpNicely: Zara in Episode Two.
285	%%* ShowerOfAngst: Scotty, Zara, and Fiona in episode three.
286	%%* ShrinkingViolet: Fiona.
287	%%* SinisterMinister: Joseph.
288	* StayInTheKitchen:
289	** Joseph towards his wife.
290	** Cal embodies a lighter, less sexist version of this in his desire of a life with Emma.
291	* StepfordSmiler:
292	%%** Esther.
293	%%** Fiona.
294	** Berrie's family tries desperately to put up the ruse of being a normal, happy family.
295	%%* StraightGay:
296	%%** Cal, who is [[spoiler: ambiguously bi]].
297	%%** Weed Guy Greg.
298	* StopBeingStereotypical:
299	** Broden Lemmings and his friends, to Jas.
300	** Jas, to Scotty, despite it being affectionate.
301	** Berrie's mother to her two daughters [[spoiler: because her first daughter was a teenaged mother and her second refuses to relax her hair]].
302	** Cal's mother, despite being heavily religious, has a strong distaste for [[TheFundamentalist the Traditionalists]].
303	* TakeCareOfTheKids: Scotty and Cal after [[spoiler: Cal's parents were nearly killed in a car crash]].
304	* TangledFamilyTree:
305	** Zara and Cal are cousins through Zara's dad and Cal's mother. This makes [[spoiler: Emma's child]] Zara's relative as well.
306	** Adam and Erick are siblings, and their half-sister is the product of their mother and their father's best friend getting married.
307	** Scotty was adopted by his paternal grandmother and has no interest in learning what really happened there.
308	* TeenPregnancy:
309	** Scotty, after being criticized for calling straight people "breeders", meaningfully looks down the hallway, where a veritable gaggle of pregnant students are walking by.
310	** [[spoiler: Emma]] is pregnant with [[spoiler: Cal]]'s baby, [[spoiler: due to her giving Fiona her birth control]].
311	%%* TheCaretaker
312	%%** Virgil, to Zara.
313	%%** Emma, to Cal.
314	%%** Jas, to Fiona.
315	%%** Erick feels this way towards Fiona. Fiona does not feel the same way.
316	%%** Cal, to Fiona.
317	%%** Emma, to Fiona.
318	%%** Actually, most of the cast feels this way towards Fiona, with mixed results.
319	%%** Cal, to Zara, but only after a little... push.
320	%%* TheDutifulSon: Adam tries his best to care for his baby sister in the wake of his mother's depression.
321	* TheUnReveal: Jas is given an envelope containing their physical sex. They lose it, and freak out, knowing that the entire school will find out. [[spoiler: It was found in a trash can, and nobody saw it]].
322	%%* ThePowerOfFriendship
323	* TooIncompetentToOperateABlanket: Virgil, with most technology.
324	%%* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: [[spoiler: Ezra]] in episode seven.
325	* UrbanLegendLoveLife: Scotty and his grandmother, respectively.
326	* VetinariJobSecurity: Whenever Emma or Scotty aren't there, Cal falls apart.
327	* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Joseph believes that anyone who isn't white, straight, male, religious, or cis is likely subhuman.
328	* WithUsOrAgainstUs: Joseph towards his church when proclaiming his hardline beliefs.
329	* WhiteAngloSaxonProtestant: Joseph and his family.
330	%%* WhyDidYouMakeMeHitYou:
331	%%** Berrie's mother to Berrie in episode six.
332	%%** Erick to Fiona.
333	%%** Erick to Adam.
334	%%** Joseph to Esther and Fiona.
335	%%* WomenAreDelicate: Erick believes this of Fiona.

Context WebAnimation / Openness