Persona and the Trans expierence!

   

 

    First and foremost, Happy Trans day of Visibility from your favorite non binary thembo!  This is an important day, because we as people who are trans or who fall under the trans umbrella deserve to been seen for who we are and not how others want to see us.  Everyday it can be a struggle as people will choose to misgender us, make laws trying to prevent us from existing and well...yeah it's a lot.  However, despite all that, we will never stop existing!  Our numbers will continue to grow and increase, then perhaps one day we can live in a society that treats us with respect and dignity.  Plus it would not hurt to take down bathroom companies; because gender was invented by BIG bathroom companies, to sell more bathrooms!

 

    Aside from my batshit conspiracy theory, lets talk about the Persona games, yes?  I have played a plethora of role playing games aka rpg's, and no franchise has EVER had me sit down and do some introspective thinking like Persona!  On the surface it is your run of the mill turn base game, you have different character classes, explore dungeons, and etc.  But a huge emphasis on these games are the social interactions you have with people as it can dramatically strengthen your character throughout the game.  Now if you are going to have social interactions you might as well as tie it into the games' story, this is where the franchise begins to shine!

    As you go through this narrative, certain themes become obvious, but I am not talking about good versus evil type themes, I am talking about some real psychological stuff!  This game has a habit of tackling certain issues/themes so well you can relate it to real life!  And trust me when it hits IT HITS HARD!  Like there would be days where I am sitting down and still processing the things I saw and went through in the game, and mind you I was not even a quarter of the way done!  This game had THAT kind of effect on you!

 

     Maybe you are a person questioning their gender identity, or your sitting there thinking you are not trans/non binary enough.  Perhaps you are feeling gender dysphoric or you just feel like you don't know what to do with your gender identity.  Well, perhaps this post/gaming franchise might help!  Before we go any further we are going to focus on Persona's 4 and 5.....mainly because well I haven't played 3 yet, but trust me 4 and 5 will speak volumes to your soul!

    We start our deep dive with the world of Persona 4, in which our main theme is truth!  I mean it can be seen in EVERY single aspect of this game, down to the music; or in this case, heard!  In the original Persona 4 game the opening song entitled "Pursuing my True Self" warns about how we are letting junk information in our heads and letting it consume us as a whole.  Sounds scary right?  Yet, it is not permanent, as we can break through this by tearing down these walls we have created and pursuing our true selves!  With Persona 4 Golden, the song changes but it still has the same meaning, which is still seeking truth.  In the opening song "Shadow World" it talks about how finding the truth is hard, and as we live in this world filled with shadows and false information, we live in lies, especially lies about ourselves.  Thus, it is extremely important that we learn what the truth is so we can get through this shadow world!  

    However, it should be known that there is another song that absolutely NEEDS to be talked about called "Reach Out To The Truth".  This song is battle music that is triggered when you ambush an enemy, and it is such a fun jam to listen too!  

    There is one section of this song I want to focus on which is "Now I face out, I hold out I reach out to the truth of my life, Seeking to seize on the whole moment to now break away".  That whole line 1000% aligns with everything about embracing the truth and being yourself!  Tear down those fake walls that were built and basically be you!

 

 

    In Persona games there is an area called The Velvet Room; think of it as a place where you can prepare your summons for battle!  In every game this place takes a different form but carries the same service.  In it you are greeted by the owner, a man named Igor, as well as his assistant, and Igor tends to give out some advice or words of encouragement.  In Persona 4 The Velvet Room takes the form of a limousine that is always driving but where it goes is dependent on you the player.....sorta....let me explain!  Imagine finding YOUR truth.  It is not an easy process, because the search and journey can take forever, or in some cases it may never end.  But you have every right to stop and go when you feel like it.  It can be tiresome and it can drag on, but once we have reached a point where we want to be, it can feel amazing because of how far we have come along.

    When you live a lie for so long, you can end up losing who exactly YOU are, and when a different side of yourself comes out, you may sit there in shock questioning who or what is this part of you!?  It can be scary.....but it is your true self.  The Characters in Persona 4 go through life trying to hide who they really are in order to make people feel comfortable or to just get by, which is ok short term.  Sadly each and everyone of them goes through a moment where they break and lose themselves within themselves.  It can be terrifying because you want to be you and life your truth, and telling the same lie over and over can psychologically make you believe it is true.  But each of these characters that you see here all have suffered from living lies and not embracing their truth.  When they acknowledge their truth, you can see these characters change for the better!  They are happier and living their best lives no longer hiding who they are, and instead doing something that is absolutely beautiful.  And that my fellow humans is being their true authentic selves.

    Yet, here's the thing, embracing who you are is one thing, but what do you do when society refuses to acknowledge you?

    Welcome tot he world of Persona 5, a game all about rebellion!  Persona 4 was about about embracing the truth and not living in a shadow world created by lies and false information.  Meanwhile Persona 5 is all about rebelling against the powers that control and dominate society!  With music, lets look at the opening song "Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There", which to sum it up is basically saying "Are you sick of all this shit constantly happening?!  Tired of all these liar and fakers looking down on you and having all the power?  Well get up, use that voice of yours and make change a reality!".  Dynamic isn't it?!  

    Yet, when we go into Persona 5 Royal, it takes that feeling to new levels with the theme song "Colors Flying High", which to easily sum it up "Do not change who you are, be you and fight for what you believe in, do not let society put you down"!  This is the answer to all these anti trans laws, we stand stand together and rally fighting back and showing people that we will not back down no matter what, our colors will be bright and our voices loud as we will always push back!

    In Persona 4, the velvet room was a limousine, always driving towards the truth.  In Persona 5, the velvet room is a jail!  When you enter this place, you are in a cell sporting some shackles too; the purpose.....rehabilitation.  We live our lives restraining ourselves to make sure people are comfortable around us.  This comes at a cost, it reduces us to a weak version of ourselves in which we now must unlearn these lessons society has taught to us; that way we can then properly rebel against those who impose those rules upon us.  We take time to reflect and reevaluate ourselves looking at everything we have done and plan our next movies so we and properly have the tools and resources to fight back what people placed on us!  

    The characters in Persona 5 have all been lied too and betrayed by society.  People have taken advantage and used them reducing them as objects only to be used in certain situations.  It sucks, a lot.....so something had to change!  Each and everyone of them develops their own rebellious spirit as they proceed to fight back against the people who have caused them harm.  These individuals rally together and state their intentions moving forward spreading the wings of freedom as they go after the people who have wronged each and everyone one of them!  So how do they do this?  They become the Phantom Thieves!  Sending a caling card to their targets and going into the psyche's of people and stealing the treasure that is  close to them forcing them to acknowledge their crimes, and inducing a change of heart!  This results in the person who wronged them to admit to their crimes and realize why they were a terrible person!  Now if only real life can be like that!

     If you were to really think about it, Persona's 4 and 5 can absolutely correlate to the trans experience!  You start off by discovering and embracing your truth by taking a journey that may or may not reach an end.  Yet, once you have reached a certain point, you can look back and be super proud over the hard work you have made to get there!  Yet, even though you now know who you are and embrace it, not everyone will be as supportive of it.  There will be push back and people trying to prevent you or limit you being you.  That is when your rebellions spirit takes over and you stand your ground and stand against those who would try to make you into something that you were not.  Or in some cases, prevent you from being seen or acknowledged of how you see yourself!  Now if you can bring in a personal spirit that could be summoned via removing a mask or with a tarot card, then this yes, Persona 4 and 5 is real life ahahahaha!

But, know this, regardless of how rough things get or now many anti trans laws get passed, you are still you and it visible regardless of what people or laws say!  And if people want life rough for people like us, then I feel the only option we will have is to be The Phantom Thieves and send them our calling card!