For what it's worth, it wasn't aimed at you specifically. And I didn't mean it as a grave insult, though it may come across that way in text. Because I wouldn't automatically view being called one of "the gays" as an insult (depending on the context/tone I guess) because it would be factual
. At least it's not a slur (of which we have several made for us that heterosexuals don't).
We do need better than pandering, and Tim's case isn't perfectly executed, but sometimes pandering is all we in the LGBTQ community are
afforded. We should be getting much more frequent, diverse and in-depth media representation than we do...but then, look at the "Don't Say Gay" bill and the reaction the same sex kiss in
Buzz Lightyear got. The "gays are pedophiles!" chestnut is also being trotted out again, because I guess we traveled back in time to the 1950s. To put it lightly, things aren't going so hot and it's a constant struggle for representation in media to help us get through reality.
It's also frustrating that anything LGBTQ related gets dismissed as "pandering," and has to go through so much stricter criteria before it can matter. It's also frequently the non-queer members of the audience who dismiss it as pandering, even among new characters who simply exist in the background (superhero media or not), without any clear example of what constitutes pandering and not. We deserve better than half assed pandering, and there are diverse opinions and criticisms among the community for stuff like Tim's change, but we might as well hold onto it while still fighting for more. Every little bit helps.