Queerness in Fandom: Does it Matter?

[nos4a2no9]

brooklinegirl has an interesting post over here about fandom and sexuality. She brings up a lot of points that really struck home with me, and I think it's fascinating how the complex issues of gender and the sexual orientation of fanfic authors get worked out in various fandoms. Judging from both my own experience and having read anecdotes from others, I've

Comments

[blehmeh05]

You bring up some very interesting points and I appreciate your perspective. While I can't help but roll my eyes at the ultra self-congratulatory subvert the patriarchy attitude that one does occasionally run across in slash fandom, I also think it's a bit unfair to characterize straight women slash writers as thoughtless perverts. Just because I don't have a dick doesn't mean I can't write a thoughtful m/m story. By that logic, none of us who write in sci fi or fantasy genres would be able to do justice to half the characters the fandoms give us to work with because we're not telepathic warlock mutants. I think perhaps the problem is less about pushy straight women trying to tap dance around their perversions and more about amateur writers not necessarily being able to pursue a thoughtful interpretation of a character vastly different than themselves (whether it be a gay man or a telepathic vampire elf).

Also, in defense of myself as one of these pesky straight women slashers, I don't see anything wrong with writing m/m sex because it pushes my buttons. Button-pushing is what erotica's all about, and it's easier for me to suspend disbelief and have fun with a fantasy scenario when I'm writing slash. I see a clear distinction between writing fictional characters as gay for a bit of fun and viewing all gay men as sex toys.

[ghostgecko]

>>>By that logic, none of us who write in sci fi or fantasy genres would be able to do justice to half the characters the fandoms give us to work with because we're not telepathic warlock mutants.<<<

I was waiting for someone to use that defense. As I said, telepathic warlock mutants DO NOT EXIST. Gay men do. Big difference. You're offended by what you think I'm doing by lumping female slash writers together and mislabeling them. Do you see that's exactly how I feel when I see gay men used like sex toys?

At no point did I characterize all female slash writers as perverts. It's just the ones who have to get on a high horse and justify themselves with psychobabble while putting down men - the subject they're writing about. Plenty of female writers write very good slash stories - in fact, almost all of the slash stories I read & enjoy have been written by females, so I would be a hypocrite to claim so.