Have I ever told you my Unified Theory of Slash? I do have one. So, further to my tardy tribute to International Fetish Day, and my lovely kink picspams that no one gave an arse about...
That's an extremely interesting theory. It fits right in with the commonplace fannish seething envy of the leading lady, and the frequent dismissal of OFCs as Mary Sues.
One thing I find terribly hot about slash is the whole "forbidden love" thing, which increases the romance factor by about 1000000%. There is nothing more heart-meltingly romantic than a gay wedding in the face of all that disapproval and hate. But this also applies to homosocial relationships: Sam can't as much as touch Gene without copping "Get off, I'm not a fairy!", so their luff must remain unsaid. Teh swoon!
There is nothing more heart-meltingly romantic than a gay wedding in the face of all that disapproval and hate.
Yeah, that's an element of m/m slash that I hadn't thought about before: with the addition of social discrimination, it becomes more about love and less about sex, which would thematically appeal much more to women.
I reckon the 'competition' thing holds true for both men and women, though -straight ones at least. Would be fascinated to know if the same is true of gay men/women watching het slash vs gay slash. (Then of course there's us mixed-up bi folks, who can't make up our minds about anything so no one asks us anyway.) ;)
*thinking cap* If competition is the problem, then het pr0n wouldn't appeal to gay viewers. No, wait, you mean (for example) there isn't another man getting in between the gay male viewer and his objet de lust, yes?
Speaking of bisexuality: Lucy Leimann. I'm just sayin'. Screencaps to follow.
No, wait, you mean (for example) there isn't another man getting in between the gay male viewer and his objet de lust, yes?
Yeah, that. Good point, though...I suppose both men AND women are competition for a gay man if you look at it like that. Le gloom. That's certainly the only thing I can think of to explain the near-sociopathic hatred of Janet in the Rocky Horror Picture Show audience participation script: 'OMG, that bitch/whore/slut/regional variant of choice!!! She turned a gay man straight and stole Rocky from our self-ident character! HOT FIERY DEATH TO THE NOT-WE!!!'
*could actually stand a chance in hell of wearing those clothes without looking ridiculous, too*
I saw a woman in last night's Medium - playing the DA's daughter, which was handy as she's the actor's daughter IRL - who was one of the most alluring people I've ever seen. And as you say, it had everything to do with the way she moved and the way she carried herself.
EDIT: the actress was Olivia Sandoval - the pictures really don't do her justice; the woman exuded quiet personal charisma from every pore.
Still, not everyone who writes slash is writing it in a setting that includes homophobia. A lot of what I've read just ignores the fact that some people in the real world might want to kill or maim our heroes for being what they are. My own current ficfandom is a fantasy universe that isn't Earth, and I can imagine what I want about how people view homosexuality.
Yah, one of the great joys of fantasy and SF - exploring what a world might look like without homophobia (sexism, racism, transgenderism, etc etc) and inequality.
One thing I find terribly hot about slash is the whole "forbidden love" thing, which increases the romance factor by about 1000000%. There is nothing more heart-meltingly romantic than a gay wedding in the face of all that disapproval and hate. But this also applies to homosocial relationships: Sam can't as much as touch Gene without copping "Get off, I'm not a fairy!", so their luff must remain unsaid. Teh swoon!
Of course, I just imagine I'm Ianto.
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Yeah, that's an element of m/m slash that I hadn't thought about before: with the addition of social discrimination, it becomes more about love and less about sex, which would thematically appeal much more to women.
I reckon the 'competition' thing holds true for both men and women, though -straight ones at least. Would be fascinated to know if the same is true of gay men/women watching het slash vs gay slash. (Then of course there's us mixed-up bi folks, who can't make up our minds about anything so no one asks us anyway.) ;)
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Speaking of bisexuality: Lucy Leimann. I'm just sayin'. Screencaps to follow.
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Yeah, that. Good point, though...I suppose both men AND women are competition for a gay man if you look at it like that. Le gloom. That's certainly the only thing I can think of to explain the near-sociopathic hatred of Janet in the Rocky Horror Picture Show audience participation script: 'OMG, that bitch/whore/slut/regional variant of choice!!! She turned a gay man straight and stole Rocky from our self-ident character! HOT FIERY DEATH TO THE NOT-WE!!!'
Lucy Leimann? *interested*
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*could actually stand a chance in hell of wearing those clothes without looking ridiculous, too*
I saw a woman in last night's Medium - playing the DA's daughter, which was handy as she's the actor's daughter IRL - who was one of the most alluring people I've ever seen. And as you say, it had everything to do with the way she moved and the way she carried herself.
EDIT: the actress was Olivia Sandoval - the pictures really don't do her justice; the woman exuded quiet personal charisma from every pore.
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