Holy shitballs.
I’m sort of waiting for other people to blink on this first, but I really loved last night’s episode.
Finn and Rachel were irritating and mostly boring but there was some good stuff there too. If Finn had more fire in him usually, I might find them more interesting.
But let’s talk about Kurt and Wade/Unique. When Wade said “that’s because you identify as a man” to Kurt, I saw confirmation of two things: 1. Racheline was right when she said that Kurt has thought about it a lot. And 2. Kurt is, like, 99% sure he does identify as a man. 99.999% certain. Oh, and most importantly, Glee has finally gone there and introduced a trans character. 
How disappointed is Kurt in how he reacted and the advice he gave? And how he tried to collude with Sue to use Unique’s identity against her?
And let’s talk about Alex Newell. His performance was fantastic — the acting, whatever, but the actual performance overall was amazing. Heartbreaking and pretty.
One last thought before I start work, and then I’ll write more later when I have time!
Where is the fanfic of Kurt telling Blaine about what happened with Unique? Or does Kurt even tell him?
Deconstructing Glee 
Silly, Kurt and Blaine don’t TALK!
hush, you.
I liked a lot of this episode in bits and pieces, and laughed out loud at much of the dialogue. Being of a certain age (!), I remember disco well. But I admit I also felt initially very disappointed in Kurt and Mercedes’ advice to Alex/Unique. Probably because I hold Kurt to a higher standard in terms of his awareness of gender/sexual orientation issues. And also because he has usually shown such extraordinary bravery in similar circumstances. His “Le Hot Jazz” performance/Lady Gaga performances? Very risky. So this didn’t seem to fit his character at all. But I did like the introduction of a trans character, and thought Alex killed his number. I wonder if last night’s Kurt was simply meant to reflect the experience of a gay youth who is still in the process of gaining wisdom about these matters, and to affirm that Kurt does identify as male (thus laying to rest some stereotypes/assumptions). Perhaps last night we were witnessing just one more step in Kurt’s (and America’s) education on these matters…
Loved Blaine and Kurt’s outfits and dance moves in “More Than a Woman”!
Why, whatever can you mean???
She means they’re too busy gettin bizaaay
“Holy shitballs” is right—I really enjoyed this episode, so much!
But: “Kurt has thought about it a lot.” In fact, I don’t know that he has. I mean, he’s thought about his identity a lot, of course, but I think his reaction to Wade/Unique’s “That’s because you identify yourself as a man”—and his double/triple blinks—is Kurt recognizing that, perhaps even more clearly, about himself, and also recognizing that, perhaps, he doesn’t know everything LBGTQ. It adds a nice layer to him this season, especially as he’s getting ready to go off to the wide world. And Unique was just amazing in “Boogie Shoes.” I like that there might be some interesting tension and vulnerability in Vocal Adrenaline now too. Borg my ass: not with Unique around.
Loved all outfits: the loose garments and layers, the gold chains. “More Than a Woman” was beautiful—I agree with Joanne down thread. The pacing of that song, so 70’s, not so fast, and the couples dancing was just so damn lovely, and brought the couple’s intimacy to a public level they don’t always show (especially Blaine and Kurt). That said, the way that whole number was editing makes it seem like the couples part was fantasy only. Remember how we start with Finn and Rachel alone . . . get all dreamy and mirror-bally . . . and then as the song ends we’re back to Finn and Rachel. But I assume the dancing parts were therefore later, when he performed the song for everyone, right?
Not happy about the goofy ways Glee is doing the college acceptance stuff, or Finn’s sudden desire to act. But I get that all the characters probably need to be dreaming about show business rather than other pursuits, partly because of New Directions, partly because of their age, and partly because they need to keep singing next year, somehow, in Season 4.
LOL! What would we do without fanfiction?
Boogie Shoes was, hands down, the best number is the episode. Alex’ voice is insane, the acting is meh (but no worse that Damian’s really), but the character of Wade/Unique is totally fascinating. I cannot wait for Nationals now, and to see what VA come up with. Unique could win VA another Nationals title if ND don’t come up with some really good shit. You’re right, ‘so thinky’, VA just got itself a heart! Besides the really interesting conversation with Kurt, I really, REALLY want Wade to meet Blaine. I’m not sure that Blaine does fully indentify as a man, the way that Kurt is so sure (and yes it does somewhat lay to rest all those ‘Kurt is the girl in the relationship’ arguments). Blaine’s already gets that sexuality is fluid, I think he also knows and understands that gender is too. I wonder whether the Kurt prejudice against non-binary sexuality is part of the continuity from BIOTA. Perhaps Kurt still thinks in black and white (despite his costume choices for performances in the past) – that could be a really interesting growth curve for him in season 4.
The Finchel stuff made me want to throw things. Finn’s secret dream is to be an actor – really?! The guy who didn’t even try out for WSS, and only got the lead as Brad in Rocky Horror because Rachel made the executive decision that they were playing the leads. The guy who made Puck look like a decent actor in the Christmas Special – his dream is to be an actor? Well, good luck with THAT one, Finn! However, just to say, Cory completely slayed me in the scene with him and Will. God, Cory IS actually a brilliant actor – Finn is not!
The same sex dancing sequences, plus the really interesting staging choices of Blaine-Mike-Brit, and Mercedes-Brit-Santana just made what were fairly bland covers of a few of these songs really interesting.
Ok — the way I see it, Kurt’s reactions can be taken a couple different ways. 1. That the idea of trans-not-a-drag-queen never occurred to him — he’s just shocked 2. That he’s faced that possibility eye-to-eye and either made his peace with the question or has discarded it altogether, and this is bringing it uncomfortably back to the surface. 3. Same as number 2 but he’s considered that it might be something that affects his boyfriend.
And part of the reason I think that it’s number 2 is because I think his discomfort/lack of resolution caused his lapse in judgement and willingness to go along with Sue’s plan.
I think it’s unlikely that Kurt has never wondered if he’d be better off as a girl, even if he’s never wondered if he is a girl. I would be very surprised if all the words thrown at him have never made that internal exploration necessary.
For the record, I think Blaine provides an incredible foil to Kurt’s gender expression because Blaine is so much girlier in so many odd little (and important) ways.
Yeah, ok, so this is what I think is pivotal in the whole episode — Kurt’s lack of judgement, and that is out of character for him. He so rarely doesn’t know the right thing to do — Blaine’s experimentation with Rachel and Wade/Unique are notable examples, but his dad’s relationship with Finn was one too.
And I’m going to start arm wrestling everyone who insists that Wade/Unique telling Kurt “you identify as a man” is conclusive evidence that Kurt is cisgender.
Honestly, all I want in the world right now is Kurt telling Blaine about everything that happened with Wade/Unique — from his failness to the performance that rocked that auditorium, I want to hear every word.
But yeah, Blaine’s response to Wade/Unique could be interesting. But Blaine’s reaction to Kurt’s reaction to W/U is really where my heart is right now.
And I absolutely love Alex on the show. He just blew me away (but so did Lindsay and she hasn’t been back… boo). For me, one of Alex’s most astonishing talents is to perform as a woman so damn convincingly… But his voice, his presence, it’s all really something special.
I can really see the Wade/Unique situation, or even Kurt just watching Blaine’s eyes while he tells the story) being the thing that makes Kurt go, “Oh, okay, Blaine often wants me to be in charge but maybe something else is going on here” and then, you know, freaking out to himself very hard and very quietly on that for a while.
I am leaning toward option 2, and in a very human way, Kurt assumed that as he had rejected that option, others would as well. Kurt’s evolution was very well done.
I am so glad I stayed up for this episode.
Yeah, I guess we can’t conclude anything yet, just that the issue has been raised, perhaps in Kurt’s mind as well as the audience’s…
I am so not on the Blaine/gender issues bandwagon, I’ve thought about deleting my bookmark for this site – and it turns out Unique is the reason why. Just to be clear, Unique’s gender identity ain’t the problem. If she wants to put on glittery platform heels and be fierce for all of central Ohio to see, then go on with yo bad self girl! And if Glee wants to do a diva-off with Unique and Mercedes, I will crawl through my teevee for a better look. And this is coming from someone with very stodgy, “unenlightened” views on gender.
For me, the character of Unique is a place to have chats about gender representation/roles. Actually, the better, more established character to start this convo with is this season’s Brittany, but her lack of a penis apparently eliminates her from this discussion here and elsewhere. With Unique you start out with a fresh, new character who is dealing with this both at home (and, god I wish the guy who played the role was a better actor, ’cause there was some potentially heart-breaking stuff in there) and at school. It’s not artifical or forced, but is organic coming from the character. Whatever Blaine’s rich, white boy problems are, having the whole world dismiss who he really is ain’t it.
Having Kurt be clueless makes sense. St. Kurt acts like he’s an expert on gay culture but in fact/canon he’s a small town kid who’s been on a plane twice in his life.
Ok, especially re: this episode, talk to me about Brittany. You’re reminding me of flash thought I had during the ep where she was all “I’m solving your problems and watch me do it!” and I was like, uh, wow.
Also, nobody has to be on board with Blaine/gender issues! It’s a way many of us read it, and that’s the beauty of stories — we read the same words through our own experiences and see different things as a result.
And while Blaine does seem to be quite wealthy, I’d be cautious about calling him white. It’s been twice established in canon that he is not – once said by Rachel and second when they cast a POC to play his younger self.
But try and think of it this way: there needn’t be only one trans character in the show. The same way they juxtaposed Kurt’s sureness of his identity against Karofsky’s struggle, they could well decide (or may have decided) to have an unexpected character have some questions about their gender too. It would make it a better story, really. More rounded and more thoroughly explored. So yeah, what if Blaine is only one of these: rich, white, boy.
There was some much going on in the Brittana sl, that I’m kinda taking that in as a part of the mix. Brittany is usually the dumping ground of the show’s “wackiness” so it is hard to sort out what the hell is going on. But here, she’s taking charge of a situation that involves not only her girlfriend, but also her. Her use of the word “partnership” was telling. She’s pushing hard for her partner to get her act together and using Santana’s desires to do so. I’d be more annoyed if it weren’t for “The Spanish Teacher,” And it is not the first time. Brittany has consistently been shown trying to get Santana moving. And the thing is, she’s right.
Eh. I knew I was walking into a bit of a minefield paraphrasing Sam’s words, but I did so because until the show shows us why that kid is passing, Blaine is white.
So, if you are looking for another trans/andro character, why isn’t there any talk about Brittany?
I like this, and my vote is then probably for #2 as well. I think it’s not that he knows nothing or has never thought about these things . . . but there is a kind of “huh” moment that is expressed in his reaction somewhat.
I agree with you on Kurt’s thinking about girlhood, if you will. And so much yes regarding Blaine . . .
Well, then he was the one taking the risks. It’s different from telling someone else to put themselves in a possibly dangerous situation.