Discussion: Fandom's influence on real world opinions
One of the interesting things about fandom is that it is a community of shared fantasy that can and often does impact reality. Very often, your fannish experiences have an impact on your opinions. I'm very interested in this, especially as it relates to fannish opinions on sexuality and social issues versus real-life opinions on same. One does not necessarily equal the other.
A significant percentage of readers in fandom prefer fiction with sexual or social interactions that they do not favor outside of fandom. Nonconsensual sex is an example that comes to mind. There are a lot of readers that favor this type of interaction between characters in a fic. I feel safe saying that these same readers would not favor a real life interaction where nonconsensual sex was involved. Another example would be very intense relationships/interactions between extreme personalities. These kinds of relationships/interactions may draw a reader's interest within the context of fandom, but chances are that same reader would not want to have that kind of relationship in real life. The average reader can and often does draw that healthy line between what works in fantasy and what works in reality.
Fandom offers concentrated doses of fantasy, and can present new and previously unknown kinks to a reader. Those kinks can and do vary from fandom to fandom, and from character to character. Example, I would generally be very uncomfortable reading a story involving an older character in a sexual relationship with a much younger character. But at the same time, I can and often do enjoy stories that pair Batman with various Robins. Within the context of DC fandom, this kind of story becomes a kink for me, and I will actively seek them out and read them. Outside of DC fandom, similar scenarios in fic are uncomfortable for me. Obviously I do not favor real-life scenarios of this nature, but in specific fandoms and with specific characters, I do enjoy reading those kinds of stories. That's the nature of fantasy, and this does not alter my real life opinion.
A part of this dichotomy between real-life opinions on social issues and fannish preferences are those situations where fandom does influence your real world opinion on a something. This is what I'm interested in discussing.
Has fandom made you more aware of or influenced your opinions on things like poverty, racism, sexual politics, and/or similar issues? Do you find that fandom has desensitized you to sexual practices that you might otherwise be unfamiliar with? How has fandom shaped your worldview with regard to sexuality and social politics?
A significant percentage of readers in fandom prefer fiction with sexual or social interactions that they do not favor outside of fandom. Nonconsensual sex is an example that comes to mind. There are a lot of readers that favor this type of interaction between characters in a fic. I feel safe saying that these same readers would not favor a real life interaction where nonconsensual sex was involved. Another example would be very intense relationships/interactions between extreme personalities. These kinds of relationships/interactions may draw a reader's interest within the context of fandom, but chances are that same reader would not want to have that kind of relationship in real life. The average reader can and often does draw that healthy line between what works in fantasy and what works in reality.
Fandom offers concentrated doses of fantasy, and can present new and previously unknown kinks to a reader. Those kinks can and do vary from fandom to fandom, and from character to character. Example, I would generally be very uncomfortable reading a story involving an older character in a sexual relationship with a much younger character. But at the same time, I can and often do enjoy stories that pair Batman with various Robins. Within the context of DC fandom, this kind of story becomes a kink for me, and I will actively seek them out and read them. Outside of DC fandom, similar scenarios in fic are uncomfortable for me. Obviously I do not favor real-life scenarios of this nature, but in specific fandoms and with specific characters, I do enjoy reading those kinds of stories. That's the nature of fantasy, and this does not alter my real life opinion.
A part of this dichotomy between real-life opinions on social issues and fannish preferences are those situations where fandom does influence your real world opinion on a something. This is what I'm interested in discussing.
Has fandom made you more aware of or influenced your opinions on things like poverty, racism, sexual politics, and/or similar issues? Do you find that fandom has desensitized you to sexual practices that you might otherwise be unfamiliar with? How has fandom shaped your worldview with regard to sexuality and social politics?