Sex and ship
I've taken part in some House fandom live chats recently. Just a few random thoughts:
- We all have our kinks. If you don't like slash (or het, or furry, or whatever), then DON'T READ IT. Claiming you "stumbled across" a fic just so you can openly mock it doesn't fly. Neither does, "Well, I just can't see x-character as gay/straight/furry/whatever". It's FANFIC, people. Argue those points all you like about the show itself. Anything can (and does) go in fanfic. Again, if you don't like it, go find something else to read.
- Conflict is the engine of fiction. If your favorite ship is being explored on a TV show, that exploration will include conflict. When fans are conjecturing about what might happen next on the show, and someone suggests a possible conflict, this is not the equivalent of them saying they think your ship is doomed. Honest! Some of us are just more interested in the story, that's all. And trust me, you'd be bored to tears if TPTB didn't tell a good story about your ship, too.
- If you spend all your online time talking about your favorite ship, and/or if your favorite ship is incorporated into your username, please don't insult our intelligence by trying to pretend that you're arguing from a unbiased position. I see this so much in this fandom. I think people believe it strengthens their argument. I actually think it does just the opposite, because you end up spending more time dancing around your point than just making it. What are you trying to prove, really? We are ALL biased. Nothing wrong with it. Just own it, acknowledge it, and move on from there.
- We all have our kinks. If you don't like slash (or het, or furry, or whatever), then DON'T READ IT. Claiming you "stumbled across" a fic just so you can openly mock it doesn't fly. Neither does, "Well, I just can't see x-character as gay/straight/furry/whatever". It's FANFIC, people. Argue those points all you like about the show itself. Anything can (and does) go in fanfic. Again, if you don't like it, go find something else to read.
- Conflict is the engine of fiction. If your favorite ship is being explored on a TV show, that exploration will include conflict. When fans are conjecturing about what might happen next on the show, and someone suggests a possible conflict, this is not the equivalent of them saying they think your ship is doomed. Honest! Some of us are just more interested in the story, that's all. And trust me, you'd be bored to tears if TPTB didn't tell a good story about your ship, too.
- If you spend all your online time talking about your favorite ship, and/or if your favorite ship is incorporated into your username, please don't insult our intelligence by trying to pretend that you're arguing from a unbiased position. I see this so much in this fandom. I think people believe it strengthens their argument. I actually think it does just the opposite, because you end up spending more time dancing around your point than just making it. What are you trying to prove, really? We are ALL biased. Nothing wrong with it. Just own it, acknowledge it, and move on from there.