Black Women, Slash, Fandom, and Canon (Long Meta Is Long)

[bana05]

There are so many thoughts tumbling around in my head regarding subsections of fandom and how they respond to each other, particularly certain types of slashers and certain het ships.  I’m particularly focused on slashers, specifically m/m slashers and het ships in two particular fandoms-Star Trek and Merlin because those are the two that dominate

Comments

[onimosity]

Don't really have anything to add. Just wanted to stand up and start your slow clap in the cafeteria.

Very, very well done.

[havocthecat]

I don't think that there's anything I can add. This is complete and very awesome.

[bana05]

Thank you for reading! If you think of anything else, let me know!

[bana05]

lol, aw, that's sweet, and thank you!

[angelfireeast]

*claps* Bravo!

[bana05]

Thank you. :)

[bana05]

Well, Gwen is a servant, which means she's not supposed to have her own goals, dreams, ambitions, just mere feelings that doesn't have anything to do with the people she serves. If that's the case, explain Merlin, then? Gwen is a person too, a person whose story we don't get to explore much in text, but that doesn't mean we can't in fandom. In many ways, fic writers should be pleased by this as she's now a blank canvas and we can give her fresh and dynamic back stories that are compelling and intriguing. She's anything but simple. That's she's a servant whom the prince has pulled into his world, she has a delicate line to toe, much like Merlin does but for different reasons. Her life and livelihood is threatened should the wrong people find out just how important she is to the prince before he has the infrastructure--whether mentally or otherwise--to defend against it.

Fully fleshed out female characters, especially of color, aren't "canon", though...

[bana05]

I try sometimes.

[skywardprodigal]

But it’s not about “interesting” in and of itself; it’s about being worthy of that interest or respect, and black women are rarely ever “worthy” of that interest. So they’re handwaved away, dismissed, disregarded, disrespected.

That, is apparently “canon”, even if the source material gives ample examples (or even flat-out says it) to the contrary.

Amazing.

I have thought that for those for whom 'Uhura don't make sense', that maybe they have trouble with liking black women or all women.'

[luckybrans]

Wow, awesome post is awesome.

Because it’s not canon for a black woman/PoC to matter in a good way. She’s either the best friend of the woman who does/should (hence the calls for “Why not Chapel?” in Star Trek Reboot, even though there’s definite canonical proof Spock didn’t think of her “that way” in TOS or the willingness to include Morgana in either A/M fic or even romantically even though she’s set up as Arthur’s adopted sister in Merlin). But then again, Chapel did have more lines than “hailing frequencies open” and Morgana can do magic.I'm not active in Merlin fandom but I do read a lot of Merlin/Arthur fics. One of my deal breakers in those fics is Gwen's characterization. Most of time she is the cheerleader of the slash or just the best friend and I'm bored of it. This is the daughter of a blacksmith, a woman who knows how to handle a sword and frequently chastises the crown prince. Her father was killed by Uther, so I doubt she's as simple as people write her

[bana05]

Thanks for reading and commenting!

I don't read much slash, but I would hope poor characterization of the women would be a red flag for people who do, like it is for you, you know? I'm not against Gwen being supportive of them, but if she's just there to cheer them on and doesn't have her own through line, then why even have her there? Like you mentioned, she has all sorts of things in the little we know about her for a writer to take it up and run.

And speaking of canon writers, they REALLY need to work on "multitasking" regarding writing fleshed out women. It's...really not that difficult.

[tokenblkgirl]

I just want to say this is a really great post. I particularly love what you say about women being deemed worthy enough for the men when it comes to fandom. I belong to several that put the male characters on a crazy high pedestal, and it's really started to get to me lately. And you outline so many reasons why here, in a very fair and balanced way

[bana05]

I do have to say that so far I've been pretty unimpressed by the character development given to Gwen and Uhura in cannon, thus far. I think this might be were our views diverge slightly, I think both of those women need quite a bit more in story that does not revolve around the men in their lives.

If I gave the impression that I was satisfied with the backstories these women get in canon, that was a mistake on my part, because I don't, but I do think there is less of the "I'm here for you and only you!" in a romantic sense than most women are shown in text. In that Gwen cares about Arthur as much as what kind of king he will be, which isn't romantic, than "will they, won't they", which is. I would like to know, in canon, where/who her mother is, but until then, I can read/write fic that give me answers. Nevertheless, the name of the show is Merlin and when you think of Merlin, you think of Arthur, so I understand why Gwen will probably not get storylines that are too independent of either lead male. (And even "To Kill the King"