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Maca and Barbara actually asked in the live to send in questions in English and they would answer in English! This time around I really didn’t get the vibe that people were pushy about them speaking in English. Barbie said she’s shy about it but maca kept reassuring her that she’s actually really good at it. I agree that it can get pushy when there’s so many people asking them, but I really think they know their audience is so wide that they want everyone to feel included and welcome

Ah, okay, I mean, for sure, they absolutely know so much of the fandom is international, and it can absolutely be a two-way thing where THEY want fans to feel more included, which is lovely. And like, I don’t think they hate having this diverse fandom army, I’m remembering the TVyNovelas awards, heh.

Anyway, I’m glad it isn’t a big issue and I don’t think anyone really thinks it is, they just want it to not becomes one. I feel like they do get that being more famous means stuff like this comes with the territory. But of course it’s on people to police themselves too and be respectful, being one of many doesn’t mean you can just say anything and assume it won’t be seen.

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That’s one thing I’ve always liked about Barbara is that she’s always so honest in her answers. Albeit sometimes too honest! But she’s definitely come a long way in the past few years. Her willingness to learn and not taking things to heart or think the fans are attacking her (bc sometimes it can seem that way, it’s so hard to articulate online without sounding like you’re bullying someone to understand- not sure if that makes sense).

Yeah, I get what you mean! Her answers come across as something she puts a lot of thought into, not always what we wanted to hear, but it does make them seem more genuine. I mean, obviously she plays along quite often with the fandom, lots of banter, but when it’s something serious, it feels more respectful to trust the fandom to get where she’s coming from. And for sure, the amount she’s learned and grown through this is all is heartening. 

And it can definitely seem, even when people are mostly being nice, overwhelming when you’re getting told a lot of one thing and it’s all about how you got something wrong. Things were so heady in the early days, you can see, as with WN and TBH recently, when actors really appreciate that boost in attention and then it can start to feel like a lot. I think she’s understood now how she wants to engage with fandom and struck a healthy balance.

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This time around I don’t feel anyone pressuring them to speak english. I know it happens sometimes but this time I think it was just people knowing they both speak some english and therefore asking questions. And to be honest I feel for the people that can’t understand them in their native language, they miss a lot of content because of it and have to patiently wait for the kind souls that translate things. [1]

Obviously that doesn’t give anyone the right to be rude, but I didn’t notice anyone over the line this time around. Also about the LGBT question, they both answered it in Spanish as well precisely because they can be more eloquent that way, Maca made a joke about answering in Spanish as well because this way they can speak faster. Anyway, for the people that are waiting for translations, I believe All The Lilies is uploading it with subs. [2]

Oh, okay, that’s good, I wasn’t sure about it, I hadn’t tuned into most of it and then wasn’t watching the comments. But like, it can be just the sheer number of people asking that becomes kind of overwhelming in itself, you know? But yeah, I do get it, like I said, it’s just an individual asking, they’re not exactly bargaining collectively. And oh, okay, awesome, glad they got a chance to finetune their answer. 

Ah, awesome! Ole ATL coming through again.

This is part 1, they’re doing it in big chunks: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM6bipHD-eE

And I think this other user is also doing it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chMA3jU8XjY

The fact that there are like at least three different entities sitting down to do this hour long video is…so lovely, lol. 

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Barbara and Maca are sweet for answering stuff in English, but tbh I get irritated af at people’s entitled insistence that they speak English. Ppl can be so rude about it online and it’s so obnoxious. AAM is in Spanish. It’s been translated w English subtitles by lovely people, but it really makes me feel some type of way to see English speakers demand that they speak English (I kno u & others aren’t demanding it, I’m commenting only on rude ones I’ve seen) esp in this moment.

Aww, yeah, that does suck. I guess I assumed it was mostly people requesting it but for sure, the more there are, the more overwhelming and like an instruction or demand it seems. Even if people aren’t from countries where English is the main language but it’s the overlap language they can understand, they can hope the fans translate and if not, just, that’s not for us then. 

Like, that really weighty question about how to be respectful as straight allies, which, I understood the answer precisely because they answered in English and I really did like their response, but it was clear they struggled a bit finding the right words to convey these very precise, sensitive sentiments and it was a bit unfair on them, in that sense.

I don’t really know how to resolve it, though, each fan is acting as an individual, they just want to understand and communicate and in turn, Barb and Maca want to please them. It’s not like that person asked that the response be in English (I don’t think, anyway), so. I guess, just, be cognizant of the situation and dynamics and be respectful. 😡