This Meta Is For You, Too

This Meta is For You, Too

When marginalized people have analyses and theories about a text - be it a show, a movie, a book, or anything - those analyses are not “closed” 

Any analysis based in the text is not a headcanon, it’s just a valid textual interpretation. And we create these interpretations, these “meta” as I’ll refer to them hereonout, not just for us. We see ourselves in the text, we see our own experience reflected back at us, and we want to share that. 

When someone says “I identify with Crowley, because he questions G-d constantly, and is wrestling with the Devine Plan,” and our response is “We clearly identify Crowley as Jewish, because Wrestling and Questioning are Extremely Jewish traits,”* 

The proper response is not to ignore that. The response is to recognize that you have something in common with the Jewish experience! 

We create these meta and these explanations not just for us. For other people, it shows what our culture is like. It shows what it’s like to be a member of X group. It is for learning, and for sharing, and for spreading. 

I see people reblogging tons of theories about characters that they’re a certain type of queer, or part of a disability community, or what have you - and those theories being spread by non-members of said communities. For example, ace headcanons, spread by non-aces. And that’s great! That’s wonderful! I partake in that (as a queer, disabled person) myself! 

But I don’t see it happen a lot with Jewish headcanons - as if there’s a reluctance on the part of non-Jews to label anyone as Jewish who isn’t explicitly said to be. And, in this day and age of extreme antisemitism, that is dangerous. It perpetuates the idea that we are “other”, that unless it’s obvious someone’s Jewish, they can’t possibly be, because they pass as a non-Jew. You are perpetuating antisemitism, in a very subtle and non-conscious way, by not treating Jewish meta the same as other meta. 

And maybe you don’t understand stuff. Isn’t that great???? Learning is AMAZING. I, personally, WELCOME every chance I get to learn something new! So you had to google what a Ketubah is, or the idea that all Jewish souls were present at Sinai. That’s amazing! Now you’ve learned something new!!! I’m so happy for you!! 

It’s not appropriation to reblog and spread these theories like you do any other meta on Good Omens, or any other fandom. It’s appreciation, and it’s allyship. Maybe not the most important allyship, but allyship nonetheless - and, certainly, enough of a low effort one that you should be able to do it. 

Partake with us, friends. Appreciate that we are able to see ourselves in the text. Celebrate our commonalities. Reblog our metas, our fanfictions, our fanarts. Engage with every interpretation of the text, even if it’s not one you subscribe to. You’ll be amazed at what you learn, what you appreciate - and how you grow as a person, from doing so. 

*Yes, I know Good Omens is about Christian mythology. We all know that. It’s kind of hard to miss. Doesn’t it say something about Good Omens that we still see it’s Jewish influence (from Neil Gaiman, who wrote it and is Jewish)? Maybe, before you bring up complaints and simple contradictions to these interpretations, consider that we have, in fact, thought of that - and wonder why we still have these theories. 

Jews and non-Jews should reblog this. That’s kind of the point.