Continuing our slash conversations...
I found this on LGBT laughs (EPIC tumblr btw, y'all should check it) and I believe it is relevant to our interests.
" i know your first instinct towards this kind of criticism is a snappy macro or animated gif but sit tight:
a lot of people dont feel that slash is relevant to real glbt people and even fetishizes and trivializes them, theres a huge gap between real gay men and gay relationships and pretending that fictional or even real men are gay to get your rocks off. i like a lot of stuff on your tumblr and i generally dont complain about not liking stuff, but fandom isnt glbt. sorry.
Anonymous
While there can be fetishising connotations to “slash” (when I say slash I mean any fan-created same-gender pairing), I think it’s a huge and important tool for queer people to help create safe spaces in media that otherwise doesn’t accommodate them. “Slash” exists because there is a lack of non-het representation in every aspect of media. By the same logic you could argue that tumblrs hosting pictures of same-sex couples is just for fetishisation of gay/lesbian kisses. Sure, it’s going to appeal to that audience, but not that audience alone.
And saying “fandom isn’t glbt” totally erases the LGBT+ individuals who enjoy it, and the power it can have for positive dialogue on LGBT+ issues. It erases me, as a queer women, who enjoys subtext/slash because she’s so weary of the under-/mis-representation of my reality and my peers in media. Knowing I can “slash” things for a small like-minded community’s personal entertainment is sometimes the only way I can enjoy mainstream media. "
Also, I was browsing my Tumblr with my male, straight, uni friend today and he was intrigued (and baffled) by the concept of slash. I've sent him a link to razpberry 's fic. I hope that, and this post, will help him understand :D I like talking about this stuff with real life people!
~Lili
" i know your first instinct towards this kind of criticism is a snappy macro or animated gif but sit tight:
a lot of people dont feel that slash is relevant to real glbt people and even fetishizes and trivializes them, theres a huge gap between real gay men and gay relationships and pretending that fictional or even real men are gay to get your rocks off. i like a lot of stuff on your tumblr and i generally dont complain about not liking stuff, but fandom isnt glbt. sorry.
Anonymous
While there can be fetishising connotations to “slash” (when I say slash I mean any fan-created same-gender pairing), I think it’s a huge and important tool for queer people to help create safe spaces in media that otherwise doesn’t accommodate them. “Slash” exists because there is a lack of non-het representation in every aspect of media. By the same logic you could argue that tumblrs hosting pictures of same-sex couples is just for fetishisation of gay/lesbian kisses. Sure, it’s going to appeal to that audience, but not that audience alone.
And saying “fandom isn’t glbt” totally erases the LGBT+ individuals who enjoy it, and the power it can have for positive dialogue on LGBT+ issues. It erases me, as a queer women, who enjoys subtext/slash because she’s so weary of the under-/mis-representation of my reality and my peers in media. Knowing I can “slash” things for a small like-minded community’s personal entertainment is sometimes the only way I can enjoy mainstream media. "
Also, I was browsing my Tumblr with my male, straight, uni friend today and he was intrigued (and baffled) by the concept of slash. I've sent him a link to razpberry 's fic. I hope that, and this post, will help him understand :D I like talking about this stuff with real life people!
~Lili