Though your lips are tempting, they're the wrong lips
Lurking at fanthropology, I stumbled upon this comment:
Yes, I would be put off by black stereotypes, but I am far more put off by the politics of exclusion. Case in point: the show "Psyche" has launched a fandom in which the dominant OTP is Shawn Spencer and Carlton Lassiter, rather than Shawn and the black character Gus, with whom he spends most of his time (not to mention plenty of slashy subtext). The excuse I often hear is that "I can't imagine slashing (insert the black character of choice)."
If you're that lacking in imagination...
Hey, fellow Psych fen on my flist, is this true? Is this excuse being used a lot by Shawn/Lassiter shippers? I hadn't heard it before, but then I suppose I'm not really spending a lot of time in those circles.
The reason I don't actively slash Shawn/Gus is fairly obvious; it's because I'm actively shipping Gus/Juliet who I think are utterly adorable in their geekiness. Honestly, if it weren't for Shawn vs. the Red Phantom I would probably be shipping Shawn/Gus...or just Shawn/anyone ever. Shawn/inanimate objects. James Roday could have sexual chemistry with a rock, no kidding.
But the idea that people are justifying their not-slashing Shawn/Gus based on being uncomfortable with slashing Gus--rather than, say, preferring the antagonism of Shawn/Lassiter to the best-buddy feel of Shawn/Gus, and why is nobody slashing Gus/Lassiter anyway?--anyway, that idea is a new one to me, and surprising, and now I want to know if there are a lot of people actually doing this.
Thoughts?
Yes, I would be put off by black stereotypes, but I am far more put off by the politics of exclusion. Case in point: the show "Psyche" has launched a fandom in which the dominant OTP is Shawn Spencer and Carlton Lassiter, rather than Shawn and the black character Gus, with whom he spends most of his time (not to mention plenty of slashy subtext). The excuse I often hear is that "I can't imagine slashing (insert the black character of choice)."
If you're that lacking in imagination...
Hey, fellow Psych fen on my flist, is this true? Is this excuse being used a lot by Shawn/Lassiter shippers? I hadn't heard it before, but then I suppose I'm not really spending a lot of time in those circles.
The reason I don't actively slash Shawn/Gus is fairly obvious; it's because I'm actively shipping Gus/Juliet who I think are utterly adorable in their geekiness. Honestly, if it weren't for Shawn vs. the Red Phantom I would probably be shipping Shawn/Gus...or just Shawn/anyone ever. Shawn/inanimate objects. James Roday could have sexual chemistry with a rock, no kidding.
But the idea that people are justifying their not-slashing Shawn/Gus based on being uncomfortable with slashing Gus--rather than, say, preferring the antagonism of Shawn/Lassiter to the best-buddy feel of Shawn/Gus, and why is nobody slashing Gus/Lassiter anyway?--anyway, that idea is a new one to me, and surprising, and now I want to know if there are a lot of people actually doing this.
Thoughts?