Fanart is by Syurii22.
Toyosatomimi no Miko is a character in the Touhou Project series introduced in its 13th installment, Ten Desires.
Miko was once Prince Shoutoku, a Japanese leader in the 600s known for promoting Buddhism and streamlining the Japanese government. In the Touhou lore, she was visited by Taoist hermit Seiga Kaku, who had heard about Miko’s longing for immortality. Seiga introduced her to Taoism, but she rejected it as a religion unfit for placating an entire country. She was intrigued by its promise of immortality, however, and privately converted to it, advocating for Buddhism to keep Japan stable. After drinking an “immortality elixir” (mercury sulfide), however, she was forced to let go of her body and become a supernatural hermit like Seiga, notably taking on the form of a woman, making her a canonically trans character (
).
After convincing a hermit from a rival clan (Mononobe no Futo) to sleep without decaying, Miko followed in suit, waiting for a time where a Taoist Japan would revive her in search of guidance. However, Buddhist monks were able to keep her mausoleum sealed, and the legends surrounding her were slowly brushed off- which led to her transportation into Gensokyo, where the folklore of old is a reality of everyday life.
When she awoke in Gensokyo, it was right after Buddhist monk Byakuren Hijiri opened her own temple, however, leading to a surge of divine spirits across the realm, setting up the events of Ten Desires.
What look like headphones on her are canonically earmuffs- Shoutoku was allegedly able to discern between ten questions asked at once, an ability carried by Miko (although with her enhanced abilities, she can also analyze each person and determine their inner desires (thus the title of the game))- although it means her hearing is highly sensitive and has to be muffled to prevent pain.
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gemder
Women want me, gender(?) fears me?
My current favorite theory (and this is just my brain thoughts, I haven't read enough trans theory to have more solid convictions) is that in the future, gender will occupy a subcultural place in society, like goth or punk. I really like identifying with the label "trans" and I feel like even if I were to live in a world that is no longer dominated by binary gender, I would probably still enjoy identifying with that label. I already feel like there is a subcultural aspect to gender in our modern day (especially on the internet) and that it will only continue to grow, and eventually when binary gender disappears perhaps that is what we will be left with.
I kinda like that conception! Gender as a subculture in a post binary/post gender enforcement world. There definitely is a subcultural aspect of it (especially online); i think most of that is from people (mostly trans people tbh) taking the time to understand gender and what it means to them.
You should read the gender accelerationist manifesto too if you haven't it is basically what your theory is (link below)