Check your privilege
If you're reading this, you might recall that I work in academia. I also live in one of the most liberal cities in the United States. Just now, as I was reading through my flist for the first time in a week or two (sorry, ilu all, it has been busy), I came across this interesting post by
jedusaur in which zie talks a bit about the concept of the freebie in fic, "the one suspension of disbelief on the part of the readers that the author doesn't have to work for." In fandom, as jedasuar notes, the freebie is usually homosexuality/queerness. I was nodding right along, until one of the commenters said that, living in country wherein homosexuality was *thisclose* to being criminalized again, zie had to really think to get to the "freebie" part.
Jedasaur responded that "We're all clear--hopefully--on the fact that the characters we write about are fictional, and god knows we already write them to be more interesting than they are in reality; why not idealize them in other ways as well?"
And then I had to take a minute and think about my privilege. Because. Here's the deal. I pretty much live in that idealized world. I bitch about my gossipy co-workers occasionally, and how hard my life is, but in general - and for real - that's where I live. Surrounded by people who would never dream of fat-shaming, of slut-shaming, of shaming anything at all. Who are supportive of your straight/queer/lbgtq/questioning status. Who don't care if you never date, might be asexual, or are in an open relationship or any combination thereof. Who will change pronouns for you the instant you ask, not blink an eye, and judge the FUCK out of anyone who doesn't do the same. In the list of usual "idealized world" fan fiction tropes (not including werewolves and so on), as far as I know the only ones we don't have are male crossdressing and permanent polyamory, and I honestly think it is only a matter of time, especially for the latter.
And because I live here, I'm surrounded by this environment, I sometimes forget how very very very unusual it is.
I'm more than a bit embarrassed, and grateful again to fandom for reminding me I should be.
This entry was originally posted at http://concinnity.dreamwidth.org/54200.html. Comment wherever you like.
jedusaur in which zie talks a bit about the concept of the freebie in fic, "the one suspension of disbelief on the part of the readers that the author doesn't have to work for." In fandom, as jedasuar notes, the freebie is usually homosexuality/queerness. I was nodding right along, until one of the commenters said that, living in country wherein homosexuality was *thisclose* to being criminalized again, zie had to really think to get to the "freebie" part.
Jedasaur responded that "We're all clear--hopefully--on the fact that the characters we write about are fictional, and god knows we already write them to be more interesting than they are in reality; why not idealize them in other ways as well?"
And then I had to take a minute and think about my privilege. Because. Here's the deal. I pretty much live in that idealized world. I bitch about my gossipy co-workers occasionally, and how hard my life is, but in general - and for real - that's where I live. Surrounded by people who would never dream of fat-shaming, of slut-shaming, of shaming anything at all. Who are supportive of your straight/queer/lbgtq/questioning status. Who don't care if you never date, might be asexual, or are in an open relationship or any combination thereof. Who will change pronouns for you the instant you ask, not blink an eye, and judge the FUCK out of anyone who doesn't do the same. In the list of usual "idealized world" fan fiction tropes (not including werewolves and so on), as far as I know the only ones we don't have are male crossdressing and permanent polyamory, and I honestly think it is only a matter of time, especially for the latter.
And because I live here, I'm surrounded by this environment, I sometimes forget how very very very unusual it is.
I'm more than a bit embarrassed, and grateful again to fandom for reminding me I should be.
This entry was originally posted at http://concinnity.dreamwidth.org/54200.html. Comment wherever you like.