# I don't quite get today's "Questionable Content" strip **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comic-strips\ **Created:** [April 13, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967 "2010-04-13T17:48:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 61
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1201 "2012-11-21T04:30:17Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Except that she’s telling Marten about it this week. And notice that she starts by saying when she began transitioning, not who she was beforehand. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1202 "2012-11-21T06:08:41Z")
I like that Jeph managed to time the new info nearly perfectly for Transgender Day of Remembrance. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1203 "2012-11-21T09:02:07Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Except that she’s telling Marten about it this week. Is she? So far, she hasn’t said anything about herself before she transitioned. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1204 "2012-11-21T10:25:13Z")
Maybe I’m just misunderstanding what **Bosstone** was getting at when he or she said that Claire’s previous male identity was no longer relevant to her in any way, but it just seems to me that the fact that Claire is telling Marten that she previously had a male identity means that she thinks that that has some relevance to understanding who she is now, at least as between close friends. She didn’t have to tell him that she’s transitioning, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1205 "2012-11-21T13:19:37Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > From a character standpoint, there’s really no benefit in assigning her previous life a name, as it’s not relevant in any way to the character present in the comic. The only way it would be relevant is if she had been in the strip before pre-transition. You don’t think that it would be in-character whatsoever for Emily to ask completely inappropriate and awkward questions the moment she finds out? Okay. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1206 "2012-11-21T13:49:01Z")
And protective brother for the win! Well done. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1207 "2012-11-21T13:53:35Z")
> [@Leiko](#): > > I like that Jeph managed to time the new info nearly perfectly for Transgender Day of Remembrance. Just a coincidence, [according to Jeph](https://twitter.com/jephjacques/status/271166598029651968). ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1208 "2012-11-21T15:15:04Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Maybe I’m just misunderstanding what **Bosstone** was getting at when he or she said that Claire’s previous male identity was no longer relevant to her in any way, but it just seems to me that the fact that Claire is telling Marten that she previously had a male identity means that she thinks that that has some relevance to understanding who she is now, at least as between close friends. She didn’t have to tell him that she’s transitioning, after all. No, she didn’t, but it’s the kind of thing you share when you’re being honest. The point is, the transition is when life began for Claire, and the old identity doesn’t matter any more. She’ll talk about history and maybe what she and Clinton were like as children, but when she looks back she’ll be seeing herself as a young girl, not a young boy. > [@Munch](#): > > You don’t think that it would be in-character whatsoever for Emily to ask completely inappropriate and awkward questions the moment she finds out? Okay. Doesn’t mean they’ll get answered. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1209 "2012-11-21T19:20:27Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > You don’t think that it would be in-character whatsoever for Emily to ask completely inappropriate and awkward questions the moment she finds out? Okay. That’s assuming she ever finds out. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2012, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1210 "2012-11-28T16:20:26Z")
Does Emily’s mom look a lot like Marten’s mom to anybody else? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2012, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1211 "2012-11-28T16:34:51Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > That’s assuming she ever finds out. I think that assuming Jacques won’t delve into a discussion of transgender relations and issues using two brand new characters that he’s introduced that involve a) a transgendered individual and b) a nosey socially-clueless person - both of whom are coworkers who are also joining the same social circle - is pure naiviety. Add in the fact that he’s set up Clinton as a sibling eager to rise to the defense of his sister in the face of any perceived slight, Jeph would extremely tone-deaf to not take advantage of the opportunity. His Twitter feed has also indicated that he’s spent a considerable amount of time researching the issue, wanting to get it right and not misrepresent the transgender community (which received, according to him, a ton of support), I’d be blown away if he just sweeps the issue under the rug without creating some sort of conflict. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1212 "2012-12-07T17:19:35Z")
Really trivial question. But is Pintsize eating a Slim Jim? ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1213 "2012-12-07T17:25:12Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Really trivial question. But is Pintsize eating a Slim Jim? That was my interpretation, after having to take a careful look. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1214 "2012-12-07T17:48:02Z")
slim pocky ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1215 "2012-12-07T18:00:44Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > slim pocky Do Pockys come with individual wrappers? ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1216 "2012-12-07T18:52:04Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Do Pockys come with individual wrappers? The ones that size do. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1217 "2012-12-07T19:33:30Z")
Okay, so a Pocky is a possibility. It was the colors - brown stick, yellow wrapper - that made me think Slim Jim. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1218 "2012-12-07T22:34:18Z")
I think Slim Jim. ---
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2012, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1219 "2012-12-08T00:21:27Z")
How does Pintsize hold things, anyway? He doesn’t have fingers – just those blobs on the ends of his stubby little arms. Are they sticky? (eewwww.) van der Waals forces? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967/1220 "2012-12-08T17:30:10Z")
I vote Slim Jim as well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967.md?page=60) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-quite-get-todays-questionable-content-strip/535967.md?page=62)