Word Meme Four - Cross-Gen Slash
Word Meme Four - Cross-Gen Slash
Well, the lovely Jehane gave me a challenging concept with this one. What exactly is the appeal of cross-gen fics, when the actual real concept has absolutely no appeal to me in real life? I mean, I have sons the age of some of the characters I ship. I have sons older then some of the characters I ship!
** delicate shudder**
So, I put off tackling this word/phrase until I had a chance to reflect a bit, and come up with some ideas and conclusions. They aren't very well-formed, but here they are.
1. Protectiveness. Most of the stories in the ships I like feature a very protective, strong, and caring older partner. Also, much more sexually adept and experienced.
Often they are slightly 'bad men', but they reserve (and show!) their tender sides for their younger love. I think their 'badness' is often an expression of power, making them good bets for protecting the younger partner, who, in the stories I like, usually really need protecting.
I think in my fantasy life, I find these characters intensely appealing as I relate firmly with characters that have really been whumped. I wish I had a big bad powerful slightly-evil hottie who wanted to protect me some days, that's for sure!
* I am outing myself as a total pervert here probably, but in the Harry Potter world, I ship Harry with Severus, Lucius, and Voldemort mostly. (Although, I hasten to add, either they are 'redeemed bad guys' or Harry is right in there with them on being bad bad bad.
I DON'T normally ship him with anyone his age... Draco being an odd exception. I don't like that pairing, but a lot of the best stories are Harry/Draco, and I can read the pairing, even if it's not my favourite.
2. Cross-Gen is more or less appealing depending on the fandom. In the HP world, the main character is young, and the hotties to slash him with IMHO, are all older. What can you do? In AI, the only people I have become emotionally invested with are David and David, and they just are cross-gen. That effect is heightened by their character, life experience, size... even voice type.
3. Who I personally find sexually attractive. I am not attracted to the younger sides of my cross-gen pairings, I am attracted to the older partners. Personally, I find Alan Rickman and Jason Isaac VERY appealing!
Sometimes the pairing and fandom itself dictates the kinds of stories that will work best with the couple. In my newest obsession, SGA, Rodney McKay (who I have an unhealthy amount of attraction too) just plain goes with John Sheppard, even though they are very equal in personal power. (They get whumped an awful lot though... just, they seem to take turns;) So in that fandom, no cross-gen. Likewise in ST, Kirk/Spock, Kirk/Bones mean no cross-gen.
So... there are my cross-gen thoughts!!!
Love,
(A slightly perverted) Renata
Well, the lovely Jehane gave me a challenging concept with this one. What exactly is the appeal of cross-gen fics, when the actual real concept has absolutely no appeal to me in real life? I mean, I have sons the age of some of the characters I ship. I have sons older then some of the characters I ship!
** delicate shudder**
So, I put off tackling this word/phrase until I had a chance to reflect a bit, and come up with some ideas and conclusions. They aren't very well-formed, but here they are.
1. Protectiveness. Most of the stories in the ships I like feature a very protective, strong, and caring older partner. Also, much more sexually adept and experienced.
Often they are slightly 'bad men', but they reserve (and show!) their tender sides for their younger love. I think their 'badness' is often an expression of power, making them good bets for protecting the younger partner, who, in the stories I like, usually really need protecting.
I think in my fantasy life, I find these characters intensely appealing as I relate firmly with characters that have really been whumped. I wish I had a big bad powerful slightly-evil hottie who wanted to protect me some days, that's for sure!
* I am outing myself as a total pervert here probably, but in the Harry Potter world, I ship Harry with Severus, Lucius, and Voldemort mostly. (Although, I hasten to add, either they are 'redeemed bad guys' or Harry is right in there with them on being bad bad bad.
I DON'T normally ship him with anyone his age... Draco being an odd exception. I don't like that pairing, but a lot of the best stories are Harry/Draco, and I can read the pairing, even if it's not my favourite.
2. Cross-Gen is more or less appealing depending on the fandom. In the HP world, the main character is young, and the hotties to slash him with IMHO, are all older. What can you do? In AI, the only people I have become emotionally invested with are David and David, and they just are cross-gen. That effect is heightened by their character, life experience, size... even voice type.
3. Who I personally find sexually attractive. I am not attracted to the younger sides of my cross-gen pairings, I am attracted to the older partners. Personally, I find Alan Rickman and Jason Isaac VERY appealing!
Sometimes the pairing and fandom itself dictates the kinds of stories that will work best with the couple. In my newest obsession, SGA, Rodney McKay (who I have an unhealthy amount of attraction too) just plain goes with John Sheppard, even though they are very equal in personal power. (They get whumped an awful lot though... just, they seem to take turns;) So in that fandom, no cross-gen. Likewise in ST, Kirk/Spock, Kirk/Bones mean no cross-gen.
So... there are my cross-gen thoughts!!!
Love,
(A slightly perverted) Renata