A Lot Of The G/t Narratives And Dynamics I See Revolve Around The Giant, In Some Way Or Another, Dehumanizing

A lot of the g/t narratives and dynamics I see revolve around the giant, in some way or another, dehumanizing the tiny: the giant sees their smaller counterpart as inferior, fragile, or even as a plaything. And that is really cool to explore as well but… what if we flip the script? What if we subvert that trope a bit? 

What if the tiny isn't able to see the giant as a “person”. 

Think about it! How easy it is to see someone who is so much bigger than you, who is so much more powerful, who is capable of so many things, how easy it is to see that person as something other. As something better than yourself. And how much that can be hurtful for both the giant and the tiny, since it entails that the tiny fails to recognize their friend or lover as an equal, as someone with feelings, desires, and vulnerabilities. 

In this dynamic, not only we have a tiny with some pretty messed up self-esteem issues (to say the least), but we also have a giant that wishes to also be loved and respected by the tiny. Who doesn’t want to be seen as an object. They don't feel seen by what they truly are. 

And it’s funny because, in the beginning, all of the tiny's awe and admiration might seem or even feel like love, but in reality it is not — or, depending on the point of view, it’s at the very least an extremely messed up interpretation of love. This type of "loving" can feel isolating, because it denies the giant of their personhood (is that a word?) and instead, they are placed on a pedestal so high that real emotional connection and intimacy becomes impossible.

It kinda feels like the reverse uno card to the “dehumanization” trope.

Or, if you really think about it, maybe it’s the tiny who is dehumanizing their own self for the sake of seeing the giant partner as this impossible, holier-than-thou, being. This concept adds another layer to the problem: someone who thinks so little of themselves next to someone else may not even realize the way they’re hurting the other. After all, they're far too insignificant for that, right? It’s as if, by elevating the giant to god-like status, the tiny avoids confronting their own ability to hurt or influence someone else, in this case, the giant. They outright ignore the ways in which their actions, their perceptions, and their emotional distance might be hurting their giant friend/partner. 

All this “reverence” comes off as a form of objectification, not exactly in a sexual manner (although it definitely can be), but in the sense that when someone looks at me, I become an object for them, while they remain a subject. 

I love this concept so much — I know it's not exclusive to g/t but it can definitely be enhanced by it. Just... that moment when we realize that others do not see us the same way we see ourselves.

Imagine all of the anguish that comes from this gap between the way the giant sees themselves and the way the tiny sees the giant.  They’re trapped by the other’s gaze, forever seen as something they are not.