108

Woodburn Hall
Posted on December 12, 2020 by David M Willis

108 thoughts on “Woodburn Hall”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    “Missy! …I mean, Mom. I mean… Mrs. Logan.”

    1. brionl

      “…Sis”

  2. Jay M Ferguson

    Take the frickin’ win and call it a day!

  3. Dara

    she’s a good bean

    1. UnfrozenNeanderthal

      The best bean

      1. Doctor_Who

        An excellent human bean.

        1. Stephen Bierce

          Making out like a bean bandit.

        2. Rose by Any Other Name

          You… you made a Bean Bandit reference.

          Gunsmith Cats (and related properties) was fuckin’ foundational for me. Respect.

        3. Ana Chronistic

          Did you happen to get in on this?

          (I didn’t, husband surprised me with it for my bday!)

        4. Rose by Any Other Name

          I did not actually.
          I’m a little bit jealous right now.
          Only a little, though, because I always preferred the manga (which I own the entire run of).

        5. Lokitsu

          The manga was awesome! One of my first manga too. I was deeply disappointed in the anime though,

        6. Leorale

          I ♡ Leslie Bean forever

        7. Deanatay

          Return of Best Woman?

        8. Lokitsu

          We all wanna Bean but she will never be a has-Bean.

        9. 0kami

          And a real hero.

          Real human bean…

          (Seriously, I love that song)

    2. Jungle Dwayne

      a cool bean

    3. TK

      The great Les Bean

      1. Alan in DC

        I can’t believe after ten years of reading this strip that I only now noticed that.
        Dense… dense… dense…

    4. Spencer

      She is a dynamite bean.

  4. AntJ

    “It was a joke… obviously it’s Dr. Bean to you, I worked my tail off for that PhD”

    1. deliverything

      “I didn’t spend six years at Bean Medical School to be called Ms.”

    2. RacingTurtle

      I think Leslie must be an advanced Ph.D. student? I had wondered what her actual role is. She’s young for a professor, especially given that she had a rough start to adulthood. It takes years to get a humanities doctorate, and it’s not unusual to have an experienced grad student teach small classes like gender studies.

      1. BBCC

        She has her Ph.D.

        1. RacingTurtle

          At age 26? That’s impressive!

          In that case, I’m actually kind of annoyed she’s referred to as “Ms. Bean” in this strip, even as part of a joke. Leslie can be pretty self-deprecating, but one thing she would know for sure that she can be proud of is that degree. It should indeed be Dr. Bean, as AntJ said.

  5. Concolor44

    Leslie’s Mom Senses are tingling …

  6. cmasta1992

    In these times a dub is a dub.

    1. Deanatay

      sub > dub, tho.

  7. Yumi

    Gender studies with Leslie and Becky is gonna have some real weird vibes for everyone else in the class

    1. Clif

      It’s okay, Leslie, you’ll probably have Booster in your class as well.

      1. thejeff

        Maybe they’ll take on Roz’s “I could teach this” role.

  8. Corlanthis

    Leslie is so wholesome about Becky and I love it.

  9. Doctor_Who

    “You’re grounded for getting a B-”

    “But you’re the one who gave me the B-!”

    1. Bogeywoman

      And with anyone else it wouldve bean a C+!

  10. Stephen Bierce

    *cues up the Van Halen for the hacked Muzak*

    1. woobie

      but Hot for Teacher is the other direction…?

      1. Deanatay

        Yeah, but it fits the comments section.

  11. regina phalange

    I really, really felt Dorothy’s acknowledgement of the weirdness of going to the same building for a different class second semester of freshman year. It truly is jarring (especially if your high school was, like most, only one building, and your college is a public school, so medium to large).

    1. BBCC

      When I was in undergrad, most of my classes were in the same 4 or 5 buildings (I took almost exclusively social science/humanities) so I didn’t have that problem but I can see how it’d be weird.

      1. Liliet

        In both universities I’ve studied, one was a total of 3 (three) buildings, the other of 2 (two). And in the second one (admittedly I was only there for a year and a half for my master’s degree) the only reason I’d ever gone to the other building was because of the classes where I taught people from other programs English as practice.

        Ukraine is different 😀

  12. UnfrozenNeanderthal

    Well. Someone in yesterdays comments was wondering when we’d see Leslie next, and it turned out the answer was the very next comic

  13. Lenora

    Work moms/teacher moms always make me feel so safe.

  14. BBCC

    Good job not mom-ing, Leslie!

  15. crow

    Joyce is doing a great job calling people what they want to be called.

  16. King Daniel

    Okay, who else thought the fringe-collar-thing on Leslie’s coat was her now-longer-and-graying-at-the-ends hair at first?

  17. Lala

    I love Leslie’s winter outfit, the color is so pretty and fluffy necks are super cute…

    1. RacingTurtle

      Agreed! She’s *so* cute here!

  18. Pan

    I MISSED LESLIE!

  19. LiterallyJustSomeGuy

    It’s Leslie! #Winning!

  20. Proto_Eevee

    It’s like the opposite of calling your teacher “Mom”

  21. Catman

    LESLIE IS MOMTHER

  22. C.T Phipps

    Poor Leslie wants to mother Becky but Becky was almost an adult when she was “adopted” and still thought of her mother-mother as her mother. Becky wanted more of a big sister to show her how a joyous crazy lesbian life could be!

    Which…she’s terrible at.

    1. Spencer

      I love this reading.

      Leslie sees a homeless gay kid and wants to give her everything she didn’t have, whereas Becky isn’t in the mood to replace her mom anytime soon.

      1. thejeff

        Maybe, but there were some definite hints that Becky did want to be “mommed”. The scene where she followed her to the grocery to get her tie tied. Most especially this bit where she played the bratty teen daughter role.

        1. C.T Phipps

          While true, I think that Becky was taking it far less seriously than Leslie.

        2. Liliet

          TBF, it’s pretty normal and arguably even somewhat required for parents to take parenthood more seriously than teenagers take ANYTHING.

  23. Dean

    It took everything Leslie had not to spit on a hanky and clean Becky’s face with it.

  24. BenRG

    Leslie, if any of them need an alternative mother figure to help them figure out some aspects of being an adult, I suspect that it would be Joyce. Meanwhile, we see that Joyce still has that programmed reflexive deference to authority figures!

    1. Reltzik

      That, or it’s just a cheerful acceptance for what people ask of her.

  25. Bagge

    Well, has Becky washed behind the ears? The suspense is killing me!

    1. Bogeywoman

      No, absolutely not.

      1. Clif

        I’m surprised you had to ask.

        1. Bagge

          In hindsight I’m surprised myself

  26. Reltzik

    I’m wondering if this is going to be a problem.

    I’d be very surprised if Leslie and Becky’s pre-existing relationship rises to the level of something that’s an official conflict of interest between teacher and student. I’d also be very surprised if it doesn’t interfere with the teacher/student relationship from time to time.

    1. C.T Phipps

      Well given Leslie isn’t even teaching Becky, I guess no.

      1. Reltzik

        …. huh? Am I reading Panel 4 wrong?

        1. Keulen

          If you’re reading it wrong then I’m reading it wrong too. It definitely sounds like Leslie will be teaching Becky to me.

        2. Tan

          No, you’ve read correctly.

    2. thejeff

      Officially? I don’t really see how. If Becky was still sleeping on Leslie’s couch that might be a problem, but it was months ago and less than 2 weeks.

      It might still interfere with the teacher/student relationship, but there’s no official reason for any concern.

    3. krveale

      This kind of thing happens the whole time and unless the university’s terrible there are systems already in place for it.

      I’ve wound up teaching the siblings of people I went to highschool with, f’rex, and you just get everything double-marked and recorded as such. If you can indicate that nobody’s benefiting or being penalised for the relationship, the university’s not going to care?

  27. Chris Phoenix

    “Leslie was what I asked you to call me last semester.”

    And before I could read the next line, my brain filled in “Oh, they’re transitioning?”

    1. C.T Phipps

      I’d very much like Alex to become an official part of the cast.

  28. DarkoNeko

    This is very unfortunately close to MrBean, and yet with the last panel it’s pretty fitting.

    1. Needfuldoer

      Leslie’s father will be voiced by Rowan Atkinson in the animated series.

      1. He Who Abides

        I’d honestly prefer Leslie’s dad be “that” variety of Mr. Bean, as opposed to the raging douche-clown he was in Shortpacked.

        1. DarkoNeko

          yeaah.

  29. Keulen

    I’m assuming Becky’s officially taking gender studies then? Or does Leslie teach another class as well?

  30. RacingTurtle

    Leslie acknowledging that she didn’t have time to cover non-binary genders, I see. Even if they were originally on the syllabus, kidnapping plays havoc with the schedule, I’m sure

  31. Eldritchy

    The Motherhood is strong in this one!

  32. Eldritchy

    I feel like people really confused gender with having a friggin personality.

    1. Clif

      I’m not sure how to interpret that.

      1. Eldritchy

        How to describe it… basically taking people’s personality traits or interests and turning it into a Box with Gender written on it. Like a man who is perfectly fine with being a man but has girly interests or a woman who is perfectly fine being a woman but for example likes wearing male clothes or has boyish interests. It just seems to be like people are over-complicating these things with all of these genders. That’s just who you are as a person, you don’t need a super specific box for it.

        1. tan_zi

          bleh

        2. Delicious Taffy

          What the hell are you even talking about?

        3. Heather

          Ehhh I think it’s not great you’re so dismissive of it. And like just because we don’t understand something personally doesn’t mean it’s not real. The scope of human existence is kind of beyond what one singular person can understand. I don’t perhaps always understand being non binary (because I’m not) but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be respected or that it’s not real. Also people don’t really owe anyone a paint by numbers justification on why they’re different especially as they’re exploring themselves perhaps trying to find the terms that describe themselves.

          People also may just have different names for that experience of being away from the gender binary. I kind of sometimes view it in the same way as bi/pan: both words I’ve used in the past to describe myself but ultimately their differences aren’t really anything huge. (Also other words exist for it which aren’t as popular). But some people prefer to be called one or the other and that’s fine. Just like respect what people want to be called/not called.

          Granted that’s my take on it: I’m a rather clueless cis in some respects so I’m sorry if I’m stepping on anyone’s toes/way off the mark in my conclusions for anyone.

        4. CJ

          It seems a bit risky to ask the question in this thread, given that the thread opener sounded rather aggressive.
          I know it’s important to have words that feel right to describe oneself and to find peers who are like you and other peers who might be something else but stell get who you are.
          But what makes some of them a gender?

        5. Heather

          It’s probably kind of hard to say? Like Gender is a social construct but social constructs are well real even though humans made them up. Like societies are social constructs. Hell isn’t the languages and definitions in general we decide to even speak also social constructs? Also: Insert cool Hogswatch Death quote re believing in things to make them become here.

          Idk I studied Biology at uni, not the social sciences: and even the term species can be more complicated than it first appears. Gender likely can have possible issues too. Hell even biological sex can be complicated, something that the transphobic like to pretend don’t exist. Any social science experts want to weigh in?

          Like I said I’m cis: but I would say the fact that I could be a man or something else all together helped me realise I am a woman in a sense. I’m not ‘trapped’ or anything. Like I remember before knowing being trans was even a thing feeling kind of angry at all the bullshit women were put through and how it would have been easier to have been born a man. But like on finding out that that you can be something other than your biological sex and after some consideration: I’m not a man. If I’d been born in an announced as male body I’d have probably been trans. I’d have still been a woman just not everyone might see it that way. Even with all hinted at bullshit/baggage attached and how people view women.

          Overall I’m not sure hard answers are perhaps a thing. Just some people are certain they’re men, some women and some don’t fit either category and have different ways of defining that for themselves. But like what even is a man? (Other than a miserable pile of secrets).

          This is a rambling mess, sorry.

        6. thejeff

          That seems to me to be a very distorted take on what non-binary people are like. In my limited experience with them, they go far beyond just cross dressing or a few interests socially linked to a gender role.

          Some might flirt with the idea, but in the cases where it lasts, there’s something deeper going on.

          I also suspect that it’s not really that there are “all these genders” so much as this is a relatively new concept and we’re still sorting out terminology. Figuring out where it’s useful to draw lines on a spectrum.

  33. Jane

    I don’t know, Becky might benefit from being fed.

    I mean, she did live with Robin for a while; that seems like the kind of thing that would mess with anyone trying to maintain a semi-nutritious diet. Even if it’s been a few months.

    1. Eldritchy

      Becky has transcended the need for food, now she feasts on spiting Dotty.

      1. Geneseepaws

        I’d say, no! I’d say you’re wrong! I’d contradict you, eh! But you are correct, you’re right, and Yes!

  34. Delicious Taffy

    Damn, I can’t believe nobody’s mentioned the fact that Leslie just fucking murdered six students in front of Joyce. She’s a steely-eyed killer and y’all aren’t even gonna acknowledge it.

    1. clif

      Well, I can certainly affirm that I’m not planning on acknowledging it.

  35. Kelly

    I wonder if young LGBT+ ppl realize this is an entirely accurate depiction of older LGBT+ people. We want to mama bear you and swaddle you and feed you and give you all the gender affirming gear.

    1. Geneseepaws

      As they try to change their worlds, are immune to your consultations.
      They’re quite aware of what they’re going through…
      Except they know all that they can see.
      And WE wish to warn them of the traps and pitfalls that they can’t see, for lack of experience… arrrgh!

  36. Spencer

    Did you mean to post this in your boomer facebook group instead

  37. ValdVin

    I love Leslie’s eyes in that last panel.

  38. Teddae

    as an older queer person whos gone through some pretty bad trauma, 120% relatable

  39. Apostate

    Leslie Bean? Little on the nose, aren’t we?

    1. Alaric

      Her name developed as a gag in the old Shortpacked! comic. Robin was trying to convince everyone she was a lesbian, so she went out and found a lesbian to be her girlfriend. For a while, we didn’t know Leslie’s name (Robin just referred to her as “my lesbian”). Leslie, of course, got upset that Robin didn’t know her name… and then had to admit what her actual name was.

      1. Juanoku

        Lucky, right?

    2. deathjavu

      To quote her dad from shortpacked, “It was a family name!”

  40. Rabisch

    Sigh. Leslie miss her daughter so much ♡.

  41. JessWitt

    I forgot that Joyce, Dorothy, Walky and others won’t be in Leslie’s class anymore. Nice to see Willis had a contingency plan using Becky in their stead because we could always use more Leslie.

  42. BlackScarabFilmZ

    Looks like Leslie’s more likely to accidentally call her student “daughter” than Becky is to call the teacher “Mom”.

  43. DSL

    One quickly learns the downside of friendships with those in authority over you.

  44. Juanoku

    She’s a mom, and i wouldn’t have it any other way

  45. Chris

    Ms. Bean failed to know Joyce well enough to select an appropriate lie.

  46. Lieutenant Dan

    Lately I’ve been imagining Leslie voiced by Deedee Magno Hall. This strip does nothing to help dissuade me of that view.

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