Mini meta on shipping and slash, and of course, Buffy.
I’ve been having an enlightening conversation with gabriel_le about shipping and slash and I’d like to share my thoughts. As always, feedback is ♥
The term “ship” or the phrase “shipping” is commonly applied like to heterosexual romantic relationships, establish or fantastical. However shipping is usually applied to established same sex romantic pairings as well (example: Willow and Tara from Buffy the Vampire Slayer). For clarity, this discussion will be about same sex pairings.
“Slash” is defined at Urban Dictionary as a "genre of fanfiction involving pairing two male or female characters together." I disagree somewhat; my interpretation is that slash happens when straight characters are paired with another straight character of the same sex. But this opens the door to some confusion. Is slash only a concept in fanfiction or can it be actualized? Are ship and slash connected? How does slash affect gay characters? What if I just want them to have hot, meaningless wall sex?!
Let’s start with an example, sticking to the Whedonverse. I slash Buffy/Faith (Faith as character whose sexuality has always seemed somewhat fluid even if she is only ever seen seducing men; whereas Buffy is portrayed as straight), yet the show has moments where the subtext* shows an attraction between the two women. But because there is no consummation of said subtext, the pairing remains slash.
Now if I go to write a fanfic with Buffy and Faith as a couple, the level of intimacy is a qualifying factor for ship. I have the option to label it shippy, not slashy, since the romance may or may not be actualized in my story. I see ship as actualized; slash as something that is only in subtext.
So how does slash affect canonlogically gay characters?
I know many people simply slap the slash label on any same sex pairing, regardless of the context (show, fic or fantasized). This doesn't make sense to me where there are shows like Queer as Folk or The L Word where most of the characters are gay. If two gay characters on a gay series hook up (or even if they don't), it's confusing to say you "slash" them. Arguably, slash is an older term; I'm sure it started with the original Star Trek with Kirk/Spock or with Xena and Gabrielle**. I also feel like slash can have a dirty/bad/negative connotation to it, like gays pairings need a content warning, whereas shipping is associated with love, romance and attraction… which ties back into the idea that the level of intimacy you put on the pairing can make you ship your slash couple***. Or not, which means you can have that wall porn free of emotions.
*Websters defines subtext as: “The underlying personality of a dramatic character as implied or indicated by a script or text and interpreted by an actor in performance.”
**although didn’t they shack up at one point?
***The choice is yours. CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE! If I write a pairing, it’s because I ship them, regardless of the pairings orientation. I’m a shippy person, see icon.
The term “ship” or the phrase “shipping” is commonly applied like to heterosexual romantic relationships, establish or fantastical. However shipping is usually applied to established same sex romantic pairings as well (example: Willow and Tara from Buffy the Vampire Slayer). For clarity, this discussion will be about same sex pairings.
“Slash” is defined at Urban Dictionary as a "genre of fanfiction involving pairing two male or female characters together." I disagree somewhat; my interpretation is that slash happens when straight characters are paired with another straight character of the same sex. But this opens the door to some confusion. Is slash only a concept in fanfiction or can it be actualized? Are ship and slash connected? How does slash affect gay characters? What if I just want them to have hot, meaningless wall sex?!
Let’s start with an example, sticking to the Whedonverse. I slash Buffy/Faith (Faith as character whose sexuality has always seemed somewhat fluid even if she is only ever seen seducing men; whereas Buffy is portrayed as straight), yet the show has moments where the subtext* shows an attraction between the two women. But because there is no consummation of said subtext, the pairing remains slash.
Now if I go to write a fanfic with Buffy and Faith as a couple, the level of intimacy is a qualifying factor for ship. I have the option to label it shippy, not slashy, since the romance may or may not be actualized in my story. I see ship as actualized; slash as something that is only in subtext.
So how does slash affect canonlogically gay characters?
I know many people simply slap the slash label on any same sex pairing, regardless of the context (show, fic or fantasized). This doesn't make sense to me where there are shows like Queer as Folk or The L Word where most of the characters are gay. If two gay characters on a gay series hook up (or even if they don't), it's confusing to say you "slash" them. Arguably, slash is an older term; I'm sure it started with the original Star Trek with Kirk/Spock or with Xena and Gabrielle**. I also feel like slash can have a dirty/bad/negative connotation to it, like gays pairings need a content warning, whereas shipping is associated with love, romance and attraction… which ties back into the idea that the level of intimacy you put on the pairing can make you ship your slash couple***. Or not, which means you can have that wall porn free of emotions.
*Websters defines subtext as: “The underlying personality of a dramatic character as implied or indicated by a script or text and interpreted by an actor in performance.”
**although didn’t they shack up at one point?
***The choice is yours. CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE! If I write a pairing, it’s because I ship them, regardless of the pairings orientation. I’m a shippy person, see icon.