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Rick scoffs at Morty, then waves his hand up in the air like he’s searching for the answer there.
“Gender is, gender is a very human concept, Morty.. I’m only a man because I let you perceive me that way. I’m not necessarily attached to being ‘a man’.” Rick air quotes as he takes a swig from his flask.
Morty grabs the tv remote and lowers the volume somewhat. Rick is eventually going to turn it back up, since these kinds of conversations leave him irritated and wanting a distraction...even when he’s the one who’s started them.
“S, So does that mean you want to be a woman, Rick? You’ve never, you haven’t brought this up before and—”
“No! Are you even listening to me, you stupid little idiot? Not perceiving yourself as a man doesn’t automatically mean I want to be a fucking woman. Not that I’d have any problems coming out since I don’t rely on anyone’s approval but my own..but that’s not what I want, Morty,”
“Okay, then why are you telling me this? You, you want some kind of reaction, or you wouldn’t have said anything,”
Rick shrugs nonchalantly before he takes a drink from his flask again.
“Maybe I was just in the mood to tell you. Or maybe I just wanted to let you know grandpa’s progressive.”
Morty squints his eyes suspiciously, but doesn’t get a word in before Rick continues.
“You-You-You know, there could be a lot working here, Morty. There are a million fucking reasons why I could’ve told you this, okay? ” Rick taps his head as if to say ‘you don’t get me’. “Though probably because I’ve had a lot to drink already. Fucked up there,”
Morty smiles. He knows what Rick’s trying to say.
“Are you sure you’re not just nervous ‘cause you’re coming out to me? I don’t care if you’re, what’s it called? I don’t care if you don’t want to identify as a man, yo. I-It’s, It’s cool.”
“Like I said, I don’t need your approval. Interdimensional cable just made some points, felt like discussing them. It’s not me coming out to you, there’s nothing, there’s nothing to come out of.” Rick becomes a little louder as he speaks. He flaps his hands in a way that helps accentuate his point. He spills some liquor on his shirt and Morty watches the droplets with a confused frown.
Rick continues to speak uninterrupted because he hasn’t left room for Morty to talk.
“You didn’t know this information because I never thought to bring it up. Gender isn't important, and it shouldn’t be important to any human who has a working brain. Unfortunately, that’s difficult to come by since people feel completely fucking tied down to how they portray themselves to others.
And before you say anything, that’s not an opinion, that’s an objective fact because no other species cares this fucking much about their genitals and how it dictates their place in the world.”
“Aw, geez, well Rick I think it’s sometimes...sometimes it’s kinda important, you know? I think it can serve some purpose in the world. I don’t think it’s as useless as you think it is,” Morty offers.
“Oh, yeah? Like what, Morty?”
“Well...I think it could be good for like, for like doctors when they need to help you with medical stuff. I think there’s something different in the sexes that requires different l-levels of care.”
“Well, Morty, aside from that very obvious conclusion, you got anything else? Because honestly if you have a quick looksee with your doctor and clear some shit up, I’m pretty sure you can still get the same amount of medical care regardless of what it says on your birth certificate.” Rick’s voice drips with sarcasm, and the bored look he gives Morty is enough to make him back off a bit. Morty rolls his eyes and crosses his arms. Rick turns back to the tv to continue changing the channels.
“I don’t know about this stuff, man. I was just, just trying to give you another perspective of things, you know? I’m not trying to discredit how you feel.” Morty gives a little shrug. He doesn’t know what to say to Rick that’ll appease him, he just hopes to de-escalate the conversation before he goes off again.
“Again, I don’t feel anything because I’m not coming out to you, Morty. And nothing you’ve said so far disproves what I’ve been trying to say.” Rick feels defensive, but he knows he shouldn’t be. Morty isn’t exactly saying anything wrong…...he’s a bit ignorant, but willing to listen. To say he’s relieved Morty’s reaction is about the same as any other time they talk is an understatement.
“I-I wasn’t trying to argue to begin with! You know Rick, you don’t have to take out your mis-misdirected anger out on me!”
“Don’t like, get mad at Morty for not knowing how to talk to you. He's like fourteen. Obviously he’s not gonna know what being non-binary is, Grandpa Rick.” Summer says while texting on her phone. Rick looks annoyed at Summer’s presence, while Morty is somewhat surprised. He didn’t know how long she had been standing there.
“I too know, I just forgot.” Morty says indignantly.
“I just said I’m not any of that. I feel like I’m talking to two very annoying brick walls here.”
“Psh, yeah but that’s totally what you were alluding to whether you knew it or not.” Summer shuts her phone and it clicks audibly. “Just because you don’t know what it’s called doesn’t mean anything.”
Rick scoffs.
“Not wanting to identify as anything is kind of like...a really prevalent experience for people who are non binary. I know you’re really into alien shit and that’s why you feel some sort of weird disconnect from your gender identity, but it would still count.” Summer rests her hand on her hip and watches Rick for his reply.
“Okay Summer, shut the fuck up. I get it.”
Summer shrugs, unphased by her grandfather’s abrasiveness.
“Whatever. Don’t get mad at me just because you don’t like it when I’m right.”