Discussion Post 1

[kinkchat]

KINK MEME AND DISCUSSION HAVE MOVED: http://hetalia-kink.dreamwidth.org/

Talk with other anons from hetalia_kink about everything and anything related to the kink meme.

Allowable topics include, but are not limited to: Characterization, Fills (past or ongoing), mechanics of kinks, seconding threads, prompts, writing help, general kink meme fic discussion,

Comments

How long is it Too Soon?

[anonymous]

A constant problem with writing Hetalia fanfic, isn't it? When is it too soon? What's too serious to write about ever?

Re: How long is it Too Soon?

[anonymous]

I think it's a big, huge, YMMV topic. The more detached from a particular event you are, the less time it's going to take for you/the less seriousness it will hold for you.

Re: How long is it Too Soon?

[anonymous]

YMMV. It depends on the event, imho.

Re: How long is it Too Soon?

[anonymous]

Like the anons before me have said, it does depend on the event.

As a general rule, though, perhaps it would be best to stay away from newer events for about one or two years. It would be offensive to write about certain things so close to the event's occurrence. As an example, if the year was 2002 or 2003, it would be insensitive to some to write about 9/11. Currently, it would be offensive/insensitive to write about what is occurring in Egypt.

I don't think there are many subjects that are too serious, but you have to handle them correctly. It is still an issue to come across badly written, badly dealt with Holocaust fics, but the subject is allowed to be written about in fandom.

Re: How long is it Too Soon?

[anonymous]

I think it's complicated. What if someone wants to write about Egypt being hopeful about the future? It's not the same as writing something stupid like Egypt being raped by his evil twin or something.

Re: How long is it Too Soon?

[anonymous]

True, true. (I'd never considered that. XD I was mainly thinking of how people sometimes take really serious, recent events as excuses for sex, without really thinking of serious fics that could deal with the consequences of certain events and such. Thank you, anon.)

It really is a YMMV thing, then.

Re: How long is it Too Soon?

[anonymous]

I agree that there should be at least a year between tragic events and any fic, and more if the consequences are still being felt - I think it's still too soon for fic about Haiti's earthquake, for example.

I don't think there are many subjects that are too serious, but you have to handle them correctly.

This exactly. Using 9/11 to explore author!anon's own feelings about the event, or the political consequences of it would probably be okay now, if it was handled sensitively; using it as an excuse for USUK h/c is still inappropriate. On the other hand, using horrible events for crack or fap material is just.. the epitome of tasteless. geministar01's concentration camp experimentation fill was heart-wrenching but fitting, but silly fic about Germany sending people off to the camps is :/ Likewise for the Japan/China literal rape-of-Nanking prompt.

Re: How long is it Too Soon?

[anonymous]

I think it's weird with the angry reactions on requests concerning recent events, even when it isn't obviously offensive, while it's kink shaming to not want shota on the meme.

Re: How long is it Too Soon?

[anonymous]

Unless you can tell me that the Haiti earthquake or the over 200 deaths in Lybia are a kink, I think there's a huge difference between the too of them. In real tragedies real people are involved. In shota fiction, no one is harmed.

Tell me, what's the difference between writing shota and roleplaying age-kink with your partner? What is shota anyway? I've seen "shota" fics with 14 years old characters.

Re: How long is it Too Soon?

[anonymous]

/diff

But you're comparing two different things. Nobody is harmed by writing about real tragedies (if I wrote a fic for the lulz about the genocide in the Sudan, it would be offensive as hell but the fic wouldn't hurt anyone), just like nobody is harmed by writing about shota. But people are harmed by child molestation in real life, just like people are harmed by the real-life tragedies. You can't compare "writing about harmful thing A" to "doing harmful thing B" and conclude that writing about B is worse than writing about A.

Re: How long is it Too Soon?

[anonymous]

I always took kink shaming to be exactly that. Putting down someone's kink and calling for it's exclusion over other kinks.

Saying you don't like shota is fine, I think, as long as there is an acknowledgment that it's your opinion and you understand other people DO like it. Because, in the end, it's YMMV and you can just scroll past it. In that case, you aren't shaming someone for what they like, you're just saying that you don't agree with them.

Re: How long is it Too Soon?

[anonymous]

This

Re: How long is it Too Soon?

[anonymous]

IMHO, everyone's opinions are different, so write whatever you want, but WARN. A thousand times, warn. Warn for everything and anything you think might be Too Soon - that way people who will be upset can skip and move on with their lives and people who want to read will know what they're getting into.

Writing can be cathartic, especially if the event in question affects you. Other people might really want to read about it. There should be no forbidden topics, as long as you CLEARLY STATE what's in the fill so that nobody gets a horrible surprise. The rest of us are responsible for knowing our own comfort levels and boundaries and respecting your right to write what you want, as long as you give us the means to make an informed decision about whether to read or not.

Re: How long is it Too Soon?

[anonymous]

This. Warnings are never redundant. Warn for rape, shota, abuse, offensive language, real life tragedies, etc. It takes a grand total of one minute and you'll avoid pissing anyone off.

Re: How long is it Too Soon?

[anonymous]

Thank you! I have nothing to add except my agreement.