235

Downshirt
Posted on March 3, 2025 by David M Willis

235 thoughts on “Downshirt”

  1. NGPZ

    “Say for the sake of argument you sent your best friend a tit pick…”

    1. Jeremiah

      Far right playbook reference!

      1. NGPZ

        For fucks sake I’m so grateful she dropped the whole president thing.

        Although re:school paper, let’s hope she doesn’t wind up a cog in some clout-chasing stenography machine either :/

        1. zaratustra

          “President Keener, how do you respond to allegations that you have a fetish for people that don’t seem prepared to handle life”

        2. Mark

          “Obviously I’m the right person for this job.”

    2. anon

      i mean if i had more ‘girly’/feminine friends into fashion, i wouldn’t frame it as like a sexual thing but i can totally imagine being like “oh isn’t this bra the cutest?” if i wasn’t shopping with them tho i guess it would be a bit awkward if iwas waring it versus taking a pic on its own (tho i wear sports bras anyways)

  2. Doopyboop

    “Did… did she say my boobs looked nice?”

    1. Steamweed

      “Not that I care about it! It was a joke! Amber’s idea! Reinforced by Jennifer!”

      1. Lysbeth

        “But IF she did remark on them, I have a right to know! For future reference and statistics!”

  3. Thag Simmons

    That is probably the best denial you could muster under the circumstances. Still not particularly convincing, but a valiant effort.

    1. True Survivor

      I thought it was going great. At least, till the last panel.

      1. Thag Simmons

        Look maybe that’s a “I really don’t want her to have seen it” panel. Who’s to say

        1. True Survivor

          Good point.

        2. Erik

          Could go either way. Much like Dorothy. *rimshot*

  4. peng

    girl you cannot ask him that

    1. Amós Batista

      Unless if it’s for Joe helps her to delete it.

      1. BorkBorkBork

        Honestly, don’t know how I’d feel about that.

        Seeing it on her phone, when she’s allowing you to hold it when listening to music, is one thing. Accessing her phone without permission to delete stuff in order to hide stuff from her, is another.

        I know just before I said that it’s *possible* that this could drive away all of Dorothy’s support structure, but going behind her back like this could do it all the same. You don’t just close Pandora’s box.

        Or! Or. Just wait until Joyce sees it. Until she confronts you about it. Then wink, give a devilish smile, and just say “I thought we could go get some laundry done.”

        1. Yumi

          Yeah, if she wants to delete it before Joyce sees it (if she hasn’t), I think the only fair way is to be fairly direct. “Joyce, I sent you a text that I regret/I sent you a text meant for someone else (choose your level of honesty). I feel embarrassed about it and would really appreciate it if I could phone.” I think Joyce would accept that, buuut… I don’t think that’s where Dorothy’s gonna go.

        2. Yumi

          *would really appreciate it if I could delete it from your phone

          Went to add a bit and forgot to put back a bunch of other words.

      2. v.gay.person

        Imo it’s more likely to gauge how to respond when she sees Joyce next- if she hasn’t she can just pretend it never happened or be up front about it.

      3. Needfuldoer

        That’s the worst option, for a variety of “breaking trust” reasons.

  5. Dara

    I love how much Joe isn’t buying it in Panel 4… because I’m not buying it either. Not for a moment. 😀

    1. Kim

      Considering Amber’s fan-fic-interests, saying it was her idea really isn’t helping Dory’s case ? (which I’m sure Joe is aware of ?)

    2. Throwatron

      Joe spent his whole life actively avoiding being “down bad,” Dorothy. Then, he met Joyce. He knows what you’re going through right now.

    3. zee

      “you took Amber’s advice? Really?”

      1. Steamweed

        “Amber craves chaos and mess. Which is what you’re being right now.”

  6. Jane

    If not for the face in the last panel, I would be convinced she wasn’t into Joyce.

    1. Jeremiah

      Yeah, everything else she says is completely air tight.

      1. BorkBorkBork

        Agreed. I, too, suddenly freeze with an absolutely horrified expression before frantically explaining myself and blaming other people.

        1. Bysmerian

          Oh yeah. The nervous stammer in panel three is absolute and obvious honesty.

        2. Steamweed

          Much smooth. So convince.

  7. DiDi

    I briefly forgot that Amber’s Mom and Joe’s Dad are a thing…

    Been a thing for a while now, too. Good for them.

    1. DailyBrad

      Yeah, love that for them.

    2. Jo_cubstar

      Oh! amber! Right! I was thinking Jennifer, cause she snapped a photo, and was confused

      1. Needfuldoer

        Jennifer took one of herself, Amber took the one of Dorothy.

    3. Tux Time

      I mean it’s been like what? 4 months? Tops? Just because outside the comic it’s been something like 10 years does not mean it’s going to actually last.

      Would be nice if it did tho. I love Amber and Joe’s awkward step-sibling moments.

      1. Taffy

        It’s going to last, or I’ll fucking cut someone.

        1. Jeremiah

          Hey, even as a joke that’s not cool.

        2. Taffy

          It’s fine, it’s not actionable. I’m not allowed to have sharp objects anymore, after last year’s episode.

        3. Jeremiah

          I thought you said “out” as in outing someone in the closet. My bad, go and cut whoever you want.

        4. Thag Simmons

          It’s funny that a threat of physical violence is the less objectionable option.

        5. Yumi

          Tried to text someone with a knife, huh?

        6. Clif

          Knives and phones are easy to confuse.

          As is well known.

        7. Steamweed

          I gotta few knives I can loan ya, if ya need.

      2. Tan

        I mean, they got married over the timeskip and basically haven’t been heard from since. There’s no guarantees, but it’s pretty plausible that that’s just their happily ever after so to speak.

        1. thejeff

          Or their issues are happening off screen and they’re keeping them from their kids, like parents often try to do.

          Or Richard just married a hot younger woman and all his issues with cheating just vanished without any sign of effort or struggle.

        2. Tan

          Or Richard is putting in the work, but it is neither interesting nor relevant to the narrative and so left offscreen?

        3. thejeff

          The one time it came up, way back last semester, when he first told Joe they’d gotten together, that’s roughly what he said. Nothing about working on it or trying to do better, just that he didn’t feel like cheating then.
          Joe was skeptical that’ll last and so am I.

        4. Steamweed

          They spend half their time in sweaty exercising entanglement and half their time in honest, open, no-fear communication.

          My gods some people have no shame! :O

  8. Taffy

    Hehehahahahehehehahahahahahahehehehehahaha

    1. Jeremiah

      I forgot the hohohoho

      1. Taffy

        The unearthly fucking cackle that burst from my throat when I read this. It’s happening. Dorothy is confronted with her gayness for Joyce and has nowhere left to hide.

        1. Steamweed

          I think you underestimate her power. She isn’t dropped into lava just yet.

        2. Taffy

          That scene from Terminator 2 but Dorothy’s holding up her middle and ring fingers instead of her thumb.

  9. The 25th

    I don’t think you are helping your case dotty

    1. True Survivor

      I don’t think recognize you from around these parts, stranger. You new to this neck of the woods? If so, we humbly welcome you to the Dumbing of Age comment board.

      Also, if you are the 25th, what happened to 1 through 24?

      1. Qube

        ghosts

      2. cbwroses

        Why don’t you saunter on up to the bar, sit a spell, and order yourself up a sarsaparilly?

      3. The 25th

        I’ve been here for a couple of years but never commented enough to get pass moderation

        1. The 25th

          Also the 25th comes from the name of the main character from the Webtoon “Tower of God”

        2. Rabbit

          I feel that. I had to message willis on tumblr begging him to verify me cuz my comments kept getting caught in moderation hell for years (wasn’t saying anything bad, was just new lol)

        3. FluffyLlamacorn

          Oh, is that a regular thing? I thought my sporadic comments weren’t getting approved for ages, because the first one was critical of Malaya in a way Willis may have read as trolly

        4. NGPZ

          Yes. In the About/Read Before Posting page of this site, it says literally all first comments have to be approved by Willis himself, as he is the only moderator here

        5. FluffyLlamacorn

          Yeah, I guess I just figured it would take a couple of days/weeks, not up to a year ?

    2. NGPZ

      Yo! Welcome to the Dumbing of Age commentariat!

      We’re a diverse community that just likes screwing around, making comic cast members wear dunce hats, sharing special interests and making neat puns.

      We also offer sick tunes from across the interwebs ^^

      *plays “Mitsuha No Tsugaku” on hacked muzak*

  10. Suet

    “a joke” tbf, it was Amber’s idea

    my kingdom for hiding message previews! or locking the phone

    1. pope suburban

      Oh no, Amber’s fanfiction is being made manifest!

      1. Clif

        Amazing.

      2. Smallmoon

        I guess we know what Amber’s “Abductee Ability” is.

        Y’know… Like how Dumbing of Age!Joyce can teleport?

      3. Reltzik

        This sets a BAD precedent…

  11. Sirksome

    You think Joyce appreciates a modest chest?

    1. Doopyboop

      She definitely likes Jennifer’s bountiful boobs ( https://www.dumbingofage.com/2013/comic/book-3/03-answers-in-hennessy/curiosity/ ) but I think she’d appreciate Dorothy’s breasts because they are Dorothy’s. Also I bet she’d find her freckles cute.

    2. Qube

      I mean if her initial reactions to Sal are any indicator, she’s more of a hair gal

      she wanna go brushie brushie

    3. Steamweed

      Joyce appreciates Jennifer’s bountiful chest, Sal’s bountiful hair, and Dorothy’s bountiful mind.

      1. Doopyboop

        We have found the ingredients to make the perfect girlfriend for Joyce…

        1. Clif

          We only need consult with Dr. Frank E. Stein.

        2. Mark

          Flashbacks of Milton the Monster….

        3. thejeff

          Better than consulting with Dr. Frank N. Furter

  12. StClair

    Dorothy, you still haven’t answered his original question.

    (and you’re gonna keep trying to deflect and avoid doing so as long as you possibly can, aren’t you)

    1. Qube

      politician

      1. Taffy

        Unfortunately, she has too much of a spine.

        1. Furie

          What in the world has been happening that you think politicians don’t have spines?

          My rock? Yeah, real comfy. All mod cons. Haven’t needed to leave for a few months. Why do you ask?

        2. Taffy

          I assumed she was going for a Democrat job.

    2. Steamweed

      But of course. And while giving her own self more rope.

  13. Akane

    The rule of three. This is a romantic comedy.
    Seriously, though. I love seeing Dorothy realize her feelings for Joyce.

  14. morhek

    “Look, everyone likes knowing if a joke was appreciated.”

    “Okay Dorothy, but it sounds like you’re begging for applause.”

    1. John Campbell

      “Please clap.”

      1. morhek

        She’s been Jeb’d!

      2. TGS

        …dem cheeks, amiright??

        Sorry. I felt compelled to reply in the parlance of our time.

    2. Steamweed

      Tomorrow, she’ll ask Joe to ask Joyce about her boobs. To have a discussion, comparing and contrasting. Dorothy needs feedback.

  15. Tux Time

    I, for one, am definitely here for the Age of Dorothy Face.

    Panel 1 is perfect.

    1. True Survivor

      It is pretty great.

  16. Charles Phipps

    Joe has broken Dorothy.

    Yes, Dorothy, it was Joe all along. The architect of your pain.

    1. RassilonTDavros

      DID YOU PLAN THIS TOO, JOEJOE? TELL ME!

    2. Qube

      IT WAS ME, BAR- I MEAN DOROTHY

    3. Deanatay

      YOU THOUGHT IT WAS HE, BUT IT WAS I, DIJOE!!

  17. RassilonTDavros

    Realtalk, why do photos show on the lock screen before you sign in? Seems like it’s just bound to lead to situations like this.

    1. Taffy

      You can usually shut that off, but I think Joyce’s phone was probably unlocked when the tits happened.

      1. Jeremiah

        “The tits happened ” sounds really ominous for some reason.

        1. Steamweed

          Man, I hate* it when tits happen.

          *and by ‘hate’ i mean the opposite.

        2. Reltzik

          Nah, it’s the default state of affairs. Tits are happening.

        3. Mark

          [cues up The Supremes’ The Happening]

      2. GholaHalleck

        Joyce also has very little “Friend cringe” sense because she’s probably only had Becky and her family on her phone before she left for College. she wouldn’t think to do any of that because who’s gonna send her a tiddy pic? Her best gal pal?! Preposterous!”

        1. Taffy

          Hell, I’m not even sure she was allowed to have her phone locked. That might imply a modicum of privacy, which is a sin.

  18. SevenFerns

    Oh god she has it bad

    1. Joe Moose

      That she does

    2. Steamweed

      Including but not limited to her decision to turn down Yale.

      1. Clif

        Mmm.

  19. Yumi

    Dorothy: “What?! That’s disgusting and wrong. I don’t even get- Why would-? I-I never had sexted… with anyone, anywhere. It’s none of your- You have the n-nerve, the audacity… Joyce is my straight friend, technically. And she is terrible, face-wise. And how– how– do I know that frankly you’re not sexting her? Maybe you are. Maybe you’re trying to throw me off. Hmm! Check and mate.”

    Joe: “…Well, I am her boyfriend…”

    Dorothy: “This is an outrage! Who do I call??!”

    1. Taffy

      I love the idea of Dorothy just completely rambling from how caught she is.

      1. Florence

        *joe continues to hold the panel 4 expression through it all

        All 20 minutes of it

        1. Steamweed

          It _is_ a bit of a challenge while Dorothy generates a Google Slides presentation, but fortunately she caps it at 40 slides.

        2. Reltzik

          No, Dorothy! Slides like that got you into this mess, don’t make 40 more of them!

  20. Charles Phipps

    This is like the social version of Joyce beating the shit out of Sal from It’s Walky.

    Joe: “You never changed Dorothy but I did.”

    Now the shoe is on the other foot.

    1. RassilonTDavros

      …God, I wanna reread It’s Walky! now. There goes my week. (Fortnight? Month?)

      Come to think of it, both that arc and this one involve Tony suddenly becoming a more major player in the narrative. If we’re heading into the DoA equivalent of “Culmination,” then I think I’d better stock up on Damn Yous…

      1. RacingTurtle

        Sarah’s character wasn’t fully developed until the Dumbiverse, but Tony/Sarah still feels like a ship thirty years in the making

    2. DashWallkick

      He kept himself flexible and self aware for his eventual growth. Dorothy came to college rigidly confident in her sense of right and wrong, which led to this. Deeply delightful arc for them both.

  21. Amós Batista

    Dorothy missed the chance she had, to entirely blame Joyce of that.
    But, it’s Dorothy, what we gonna do about it?

  22. Acebender

    Oh honey

  23. Straximus

    It’s happening!

    1. Qube

      OH MAN

  24. Vaishino

    Not beating the allegations Dorothy

  25. Lingo

    What are “the diagonal red lines”?

    1. Taffy

      They signify blushing.

      1. Lingo

        On a phone??

        1. Taffy

          No, on Joyce’s face, after seeing Dorothy’s titties.

        2. Lingo

          Oh. So measles then?

        3. Thing2

          Yeah, i wanna know too, Diagonal red lines on a phone. We all know what blushing onna face looks like.

    2. Drew Hargrave

      Blushing probably

    3. Bash

      I think she also sent a pic of her underwear, which had stripes.

    4. Finiraldi

      Standard/typical visualization of a blush, usually along with a reddening face, in most anime with a more typical anime art style. Though these days they’re really more prominent only in lighthearted/comedic scenes whereas more serious scenes tend to downplay said diagonal lines while maintaining the red cheeks.

    5. Thing2

      People seem to have misread this? You were asking about the comment about lines on phones concerning pictures???

      1. Yumi

        What comment about lines on phones, though? The hovertext say, “did she get the diagonal red lines,” which people are interpreting to mean “did Joyce blush (in the style that Willis portrays blushing) upon seeing the picture.”

        1. Thing2

          Yumi: Yeah, can’t find it now. Maybe my mind made it up! But maybe Lingo saw it too, and said “On a Phone?”
          Dunno. Not that important.

        2. Lingo

          I was initially confused by the alt-text, thinking it implied that Dorothy texted Joyce some “diagonal red lines” and wondered what that meant. I figured it out about 5 seconds after my first post and just decided to troll Taffy :devil:

        3. Lingo

          (Any by “troll”, I mean “tease”, of course :angel:)

  26. Nerrin

    I am hoping for a moment of actual commiseration between these two over how their feelings for Joyce are overwhelmingly new and terrifying for both of them even if for different reasons.

    And for Joe to sincerely apologize for his shitty history toward Dorothy, but that’s way more likely compared to the two having a heart-to-heart right away. Even if the heart-to-heart would be adorable.

  27. Laserbeaks Fury

    The funny thing is, I don’t think Joyce would even have registered seeing Dorothy’s pic beyond mild confusion. She blew off Jennifer’s text pretty quickly when she got it earlier. She would, however, probably be mortified when she found out the reason was she miss sent *her* pic.

  28. AGV/Ruby

    Priorities.

  29. Francoinblanco

    oh I know this scenario. he has photos of her, she wants him to delete them and in return he wants photos of her and she agrees and then she wants him to delete those and in return he wants more. I was writing for fun and it dawned on me that he was a literal step bro. it writes itself

    1. Jeremiah

      … What?

    2. Buck Ripsnort

      That’s far, FAR creepier than Joe ever was even before he tried to turn himself around.

  30. darkoneko

    Oooh my

    1. Coatl

      Yes… that’s the only thing that can be said for now.

  31. Taffy

    Dorothy’s hair reminds me of butterscotch ice cream and I want to put her in my mouth.

    1. TGS

      This seems like an outtake from Anchorman. And I don’t disagree.

  32. John Campbell

    Seriously, Dorothy, she told you straight out that she’s a trash goblin who craves mess.

    … Thought I guess “straight” is probably not what’s being outed here.

  33. Sirksome

    I’m curious now at what exactly Dorothy wants Joyce’s reaction to be. Is this like a “I saw yours so you should see mine.’ fairness thing? Where exactly is this supposed to go? If we’re choosing to take this at face value.

    1. Taffy

      She did try to delete it. If we accept the false premise that Dorothy genuinely doesn’t want Joyce’s face between them, maybe she’s hoping Joe quickly deleted the photo.

      1. v.gay.person

        I’d be wanting a heads up on how Joyce reacted to it so I can adjust how I act next time I see her. Like, did she laugh and realise her mistake, did she feel embarrassed about sending sexts to the wrong person, or was she creeped out.

    2. Florence

      She’s been getting more in the moment lately, more reactive

  34. Armadillo

    I don’t know if Joe’s face in panel 4 is a “not buying it” face or a “why would you listen to Amber about this” face but either way Dorothy should be feeling very called out right now.

    1. Yumi

      I love how she tried to use the stepsister thing like some kind of accusation or something, like, yes, Joe’s stepsister, who you actually met first, and who you’ve both known for a matter of months.

      1. milu

        You have some nerve coming in here questioning my motives when it was YOUR very own stepsister who inclined me, yes MOTIVATED me to send it!!! You… tiddy-pic-abetting-stepsibling’ed MONSTER.

        1. milu

          Son of a tiddy-pic-abetting-offspring-haver-lover? the word stepsister is doing so much work in this (attempted) gotcha, I feel like it deserved to be unpacked further

        2. Yumi

          Hey, good to see you, milu!

        3. milu

          ✌️?

  35. IntangibleMatter

    You can hear her stomach drop through the floor in the first panel.

  36. Freezer

    As she continues to not answer the original question…

  37. Thing2

    Clearly I do not have gaydar.

    1. Mark

      Sometimes it’s working perfectly but there’s nothing there to reflect.

      1. Thing2

        Mark: Yeah that was originally why I made the comment. But now I’m beginning to doubt myself! I can’t see it. Sooo many people can. But then Sooo many people not selected at random…
        But Willis is a master at the art of ambiguity, which keeps things open, and we are all eagerly awaiting the next development. Arabian Nights. Well done Willis. Damn you Willis.

  38. BBCC

    Dorothy asking the important questions here. XD

  39. pyrock_mania

    You see, Dorothy’s not bi, she’s just competitive!

  40. DashWallkick

    At this point I don’t think we’re getting the Dorothy Bisexual Arc as we’re getting deeply, deeply socially detached Dorothy suddenly slamming her face into a “what is my relationship to Joyce if I’m not her mentor and guide” crisis, that will I imagine be resolved as “you’re her best friend.”

    1. Rabbit

      That would actually be a really compelling arc- and I assume it’ll be somewhere along the lines. This reads as combo of that, and her sabotaging herself cuz she’s spiraling.

    2. Jeremiah

      It can be both.

      1. DashWallkick

        Saw tomorrow’s comic preview and uhhh, nevermind I was very mistaken.

        1. Yumi

          Tone might not come across, so note that I do ask this kindly: Could you not comment with spoilers like this? Thank you.

  41. v.gay.person

    “I did not have textual relations with that woman, Miss Brown”

    Maybe she gave up on presidency too early- she’s got the sex scandals down.

  42. Steelbright

    The amount of denial in this strip is truly off the charts

    1. Steamweed

      It goes up to 11.

  43. I Know Why the Mowed Lawn Screams

    dorothy “probably a zero [on the kinsey scale] best i can tell” keener, everybody!

    1. Li

      “But I guess that estimate could change.”

  44. Rabid Rabbit

    I’m trying to recall the last time I saw a DoA strip in which I thought every. single. face. should be added to the gravatar roulette.

    Yes. All nine. Especially panel 4 Joe, but all the others too.

  45. Florence

    From now on, if you deny Dorothy having lesbian feelings for Joyce I’m just gonna mentally give you the panel 4 Joe expression

    1. Jeremiah

      It works for so many situations!

      1. Florence

        Anytime I find something unbelievable, hit em with the panel 4 Joe expression

    2. Mark

      Go right ahead.

    3. anonymsly

      Go for it.i maintain that I will believe two women who claim to be straight, who have displayed sexual attraction only with men, and who have displayed no sexual attraction to or about each other are not, in fact, sexually attracted to each other.

      If/when that changes, I will update my opinion. U til then, I’m not interested in dictating the sexuality of anyone based on ‘I want to see lesbian kissyface’.

      Intimacy is not sex. It is entirely possible to be extremely and intimately attached to a person without sex being involved. And I remain deeply uncomfortable that the default reaction of the general populace to any amount of closeness is ‘obviously they’re going to fuck each other’s brains out, there’s literally no other way a close relationship with another human to whm you are not related can go’.

      1. Charlotte

        I love seeing all queer relationships in media, and especially for romantic and sexual relationships between women there is a long history of denying and hiding that, “gal pals” and all. That’s part of why many people find seeing such relationships in media is so powerful – they’ve just been erased for so long.

        Also, discovering you’re bi as a young adult is not exactly uncommon, and is a good thing even for people who continue to date whatever gender they knew themselves to be interested in.

        But it is also kind of sad that our society has limited emotional expressions and relationships so much that (a) every intimate relationship is just assumed to be romantic and sexual and (b) platonic relationships and friendships are treated as lesser, or less close, than romantic relationships.

        I think you can read Dorothy and Joyce either way. Relationships can also have different aspects – they can be and stay friends with some romantic attraction in the mix. To me personally, some of their interactions read as romantic, but I don’t actually think they’re super sexually attracted to each other.

        But just for the record, their friendship isn’t any lesser than getting romantically or sexually involved would be.

      2. Florence

        Okay so, this is a story between fictional characters, not people. That’s the first thing

        Secondly, there’s already many platonic close friendships in this comic, including between women

        Thirdly, my excitement about Dorothy’s feelings for Joyce does not say sexual but also even if it did, is perfectly fine

        But hey, if it matters so much to you, you can view them as totally platonic, like a lot of the comics cast is

      3. Charles Phipps

        My counterpoint to this argument is, “It’s kind of suggestive that they engaged in mutual masturbation.”

        1. Doopyboop

          +100 points for this comment because friendship intimacy is one thing, mutual masturbation is a whole other ball game that’s not especially heterosexual

        2. Doopyboop

          Or platonic, whatever.

        3. Woof McGee

          In fairness, it’s questionable if it was consensual

        4. GholaHalleck

          THANK you. Dottie and Joyce’s relationship at that point had a pointed power imbalance in Dotties favor and it gave massive heebie jeebies for me.

          The comments are so into them kissy facing that I think a lot of them gloss over how out of pocket it was.

          If she wanted Joye to have post nut clarity, she could have amazon’ed a non-phallic vibe and sent Joyce off to her room to go bonk herself, instead of making it a show and watching her orgasm in a public place, then (hopefully) cleaning up after her.

        5. macaroon trilogy

          I can’t believe you people are still on about this ? “questionable if it was consensual”… come on lol. I don’t even want to get into it again bc I reread the comments on that strip very recently but you’re being very strange

        6. Taffy

          There was no show, Dorothy didn’t watch that part, Joyce consented, it’s all above the level.

        7. Schpoonman

          It was weird and gross and controlling, but since Dorothy’s primary goal of “Keep Joyce away from Joe,” crashed and burned I mostly write it off.

        8. Sirksome

          I really don’t like the power imbalance, Dorothy has control over Joyce narrative. Sure Dorothy’s masturbation lesson was a bit strange and you can even argue she didn’t have altruistic motivations, but Joyce trusts Dorothy and more importantly it’s mutual trust. They’re friends. Sometimes friends do weird things together regardless on where you sit on either girl’s ongoing sexuality debate. Joyce has her own agency.

        9. thejeff

          In addition to everything everyone else said, just buying Joyce a vibe and telling her to go to town wasn’t going to work. She needed to work up to that.

        10. Doopyboop

          I’m confused what you guys mean by ‘power imbalance’ regarding Joyce and Dorothy. Jason and Sal had a power imbalance, because he was a TA and IF he wanted to (which he didn’t, but bear with me) he could have given her a failing grade on her papers for refusing him sex. Ruth and Jennifer had a power imbalance, because Ruth is the RA and if she wanted to (which she didn’t, but continue to bear with me here) she could have used her power as an RA to kick Jennifer out of her room, or write her up to her superiors, or whatever else an RA can do.

          It’s a good thing Jason and Ruth didn’t do these things, and never considered doing such, but the fact that the power to do so still lied there with them is what gave those relationships power imbalances. Dorothy doesn’t have any sort of position, role, job, or anything over Joyce. I mean, she could be really disappointed in Joyce and that might make Joyce sad, but if we count that as a power imbalance then I’m afraid we’re starting to split hairs and muddle the definition of words such as ‘power imbalance’.

        11. Sirksome

          Some people believe because of a mixture of traits Joyce has demonstrated combined with her past relationship with authority figures that Dorothy is seen as one. Thus Joyce will essentially do whatever Dorothy tells her. That and the more matter of fact way Dorothy initiated the masturbation education leads some to reading that moment as Joyce being coerced.

        12. Li

          And it doesn’t matter that Joyce literally just demonstrated her ability to say no to Dorothy very loudly, because this part of the readership just assumes, with zero evidence, that Joyce was “exhausted” from asserting her boundaries the one time and thus couldn’t do it again.

          I have sympathy for the people who were squicked and even triggered by that sequence, but “Dorothy committed sexual assault” is just. Not a viable textual read of the comic, and expecting other users to not only agree with this take but for Willis’s story to conform to it at this point………… I don’t understand it.

          Genuinely, if I felt the way these readers do about that arc, I would have abandoned the comic, because it’s so plain at this point that Dorothy will not be experiencing consequences for what they think is doing something really heinous to Joyce, and I would just nope out.

        13. yak

          What was nonconsensual about it? Was Joyce a naive little autistic girl who can’t make informed decisions for herself or was Dorothy an evil manipulator that is also probably a narcissist?

      4. macaroon trilogy

        If I wanted to be uncharitable (& honestly? I’m in a mood) I’d raise an eyebrow on why you think lesbian attraction is inherently sexual when Florence literally just said “feelings”

        but I actually think you just really wanted to state your piece even if doesn’t super relate to what you’re replying to. Just make your own comment next time or something

        1. Li

          +1

      5. Jeremiah

        Weird.

    4. Tan

      If you should need it, I have put it into convenient icon size. https://i.imgur.com/rUZA3HI.png

      1. Florence

        Oh thank you! Unsure if I will use as icon but definitely save as a reaction

      2. morleuca

        I love his eyelashes

    5. Li

      https://www.dumbingofage.com/2024/comic/book-14/04-for-me-it-was-tuesday/hurry/

      This and the following four or so strips seem especially relevant to this moment. Really recontextualizes Dorothy’s reactions throughout, imho.

      1. Li

        Also, while the above sequence eventually culminates with Dorothy in Walky’s bed,

        https://www.dumbingofage.com/2024/comic/book-14/04-for-me-it-was-tuesday/adhd/

        This and the following strip where Dorothy hurtles her phone away while declaring that she needs to find other ways to express her “wants and desires”, to find other ways to “say I love you”, about making people into projects. In a context where she includes looking up autism facts wrt Joyce, not that many strips after the above sequence where she awkwardly, while looking pained, exchanged “I love you” with Joyce.

        https://www.dumbingofage.com/2024/comic/book-14/04-for-me-it-was-tuesday/sweeten-2/

        And what about this, which is actually not the only time in recent memory that Dorothy has just assumed other people will agree with her that Joyce is hot. (The other one springing to mind is when Joyce excitedly yomd her and Sarah that Joe had called her a hot chick; both girls were disparaging, but Dorothy expressly said that “someone” finding Joyce sexually attractive was “an extremely low bar to clear”.)

        Heck, what ABOUT the part where Joyce not too long ago indicated that she wanted to watch Dorothy and Walky have sex before she tried to go all the way herself? Is that not in any way kinda questionable?

        Like, I am going out of my way to AVOID the things I think are potentially just Parks & Recreation winks at the camera, because we’d be here all day if I started linking to earlier strips where Joyce said questionable things about Dorothy.

        (My current read on the comic is that we might be headed for a repeat of Becky’s confession, where Dorothy has realized she has feelings for Joyce but Joyce, who has been steadily drifting away from her earlier characterization that caused Walky to repeatedly joke that she wanted to sleep with Dorothy, just… doesn’t feel the same.)

  46. GUIGUI

    I know everyone is focussed on what Dorothy’s feeling for Joyce are, but my personal experience of having to know the codification of every social interaction, making sure I am following them properly and not always being sure the persons I am interacting with perceived them properly or have missed them and think I am being rude and/or a weirdo (of course I am) is what is resonating with me right now.

    Especially if it’s a situation where I just get told a new rule of interaction and have no idea if I am doing it right, whether I have understood it well, or if the person who told me it is just pulling my leg.

    And the complete lack of feedback from the one I used it with is a black hole of anxiety.

    Right now, this is all I can think about when I look at Dorothy.

  47. Juanoku

    Joe is unimpressed

    1. morleuca

      Joe is concerned. both for the unneeded stress on his relationship with Joyce, but also for Dorothy, who he has known for most of their lives.

  48. OnyxIdol

    well I ship it

  49. Furie

    Sudden realisation that Joe kept hold of Joyce’s phone when she was looking for music that morning.

    https://www.dumbingofage.com/2025/comic/book-15/03-me-and-who-you-say-i-was-yesterday/bops/

    I did worry when the text came through that he’d delete it to protect Dorothy and derail his relationship and related attempts at redeeming himself in his own eyes.

    1. Steamweed

      I’m thinking he would think twice or thrice before deleting anything from Joyce’s phone. Interfering with, or controlling, the incoming contacts would be against his newfound sense of ethical self.

    2. Li

      https://www.dumbingofage.com/2025/comic/book-15/03-me-and-who-you-say-i-was-yesterday/releaseyou/

      He was also the one who asked where Dorothy was earlier.

      I think he’s been holding off on giving Joyce a chance to see the photo until he could check with Dorothy.

      (Not something I’m judging him for right now.)

  50. Acher4

    Damn, I didn’t have internet for 3 days and suddenly Dorothy is outed.

    <.<

    1. Steamweed

      It’s ’cause of quantum entanglement. You stopped observing, so the superposition collapsed. So here we go!

  51. Rabisch

    Dorothy can’t look Joe in the eye as she asks him about Joyce’s reaction. Given how direct she usually is when she talks to him, it’s inevitable to think that she’s really into Joyce. Joe can tell and seems to feel sorry for her and how confused and fragile see looks.

  52. Amós Batista

    Yeahh, Dorothy is a terrible politician…

  53. Mark

    Good: the adrenalin surge has crested and she’s starting to think.

  54. ValdVin

    “I can see by the look on your faces that I was joking.”

    (h/t Stan Smith)

  55. Axel

    Weird to act like Joe has any domain over Amber, but I guess it’s mostly a ‘grasping at straws to show she’s not into Joyce’ thing

    1. Steamweed

      Both deflection and accusation. Very flimsily done.

  56. CianM1301

    I see we have another character here who doesn’t know how to throw away the shovel.

  57. Taigan

    If Joe were to somehow learn she has a pic of Jennifer’s boobs on her phone, it would not help her case.

  58. Steamweed

    Panel 1: System rebooting complete. Now loading Excuse_Gen.dll.
    Panel 3: Loading Deflection_Gen.dll.
    Panel 5: Loading Counterattack_Gen.dll.

  59. Kyulen

    Dorothy’s not doing a good job defending her case so far.

  60. Zamperla

    and no specific words “no, I do not like her that way” from the once-aspiring politician.

    Oh, honey.

    1. Taigan

      This. All the other points aside, Dorothy hasn’t yet said “no.”

  61. Charles Phipps

    Dorothy is desperately to turn this back on Joe and find some reason he’s a perverted asshole but it’s just not happening.

    1. Yeet

      I mean, “are you snooping on my your gf’s phone” is a pretty reasonable concern given the situation and how many people seem to be doing that these days – not to mention the uhhh. sensitivity of the image
      I’d ask a similar question (less accusingly) in an “I saw that text you sent to my gf” situation

      1. Kyle

        It isn’t a reasonable concern, Dorothy is just throwing anything out in the hopes something will stick and deflect from what she did.

        1. DashWallkick

          It’s a pretty reasonable question how he saw the picture that *also* gets away from something she doesn’t want to admit about herself.

        2. Alongcameaspider

          I mean it can be both a reasonable concern and Dorothy desperately trying to change the topic

      2. Thing2

        And how many commenters raised the issue!

        1. Thing2

          (That was a reply to Yeet)

  62. Stephen Nedland

    So, to answer Joe’s initial question, yes, Dorothy is into Joyce. You don’t ask if somebody you’re not into looked at your tiddy pic, unless you want said person to look at your tiddies, ’cause you’re into them.

  63. Byron Orpheus

    This small incident has become so complex that I think we need a timeline or a hashtag to keep it all sorted.

  64. Thing2

    Perhaps the reason I have no gaydar is that I have little (no?) subtext? Oh great, am I reading this *because* I’m a “high functioning”, who has only recently fathomed out their sexuality and is still going re. gender?

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