So I was talking to Lullabee about how in my world, all characters are pretty much bisexual because I have some strict ideas about how canon works
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I mostly agree with you but it's an issue I play by ear rather than having any kind of reasoning process; fact is, I am bisexual and I have an automatic tendency to see other people (real or fictional) as bisexual until proven otherwise because I really don't understand monosexuality as anything but a social convention. I mean, I take it at face value if someone says they're not interested in one gender (or not interested in either) but I don't deep-down get it. And you know what? I am allowed to read media as if I'm the intended audience. If I wasn't, there would be very little media I could read. So suck on it.
(I have exceptions, particularly for characters who've taken the time to openly think about who they're attracted to, but yeah - to me (Almost) Everyone Is Bi. No wonder I love Metal Gear XD)
I think it is reasonable to have metasexual thoughts about characters without actually fancying them? Believe it or not, I don't want to bone all the characters whose sex lives I've written about. Very very few of them tbh.
I think I have a similar problem.... I can find men attractive and sexy, but I don't want to have sex with any. So I label myself as lesbian because I don't know what other term to use, but monosexuality as a social convention rings really, really true with me.
And I think it's kind of the point of fandom to observe media like we're the intended audience, even though we're likely not. Well, not the point of fandom, but a point?
IMO a lot of slash fandom may be based on this way of making our own assumptions be our fanon; if a fan thinks Snake looks sexy, they can use that to write about Otacon thinking Snake looks sexy, and that's okay. Within fandom, Snake being sexy can become a neutral fact that transcends heteronormativity.
(I could blame bisexual erasure in fandom on the fact that most fans are monosexual, too).
I think I have a similar problem.... I can find men attractive and sexy, but I don't want to have sex with any. So I label myself as lesbian because I don't know what other term to use, but monosexuality as a social convention rings really, really true with me.
How to ID is your call, dude, but that's something I have been known to have problems with when it comes up in popular culture, eg in Peace Walker; defining lesbian as a negative - man-hating or not wanting to be with men - rather than a positive - wanting women - seems to play into stereotypes to me. With men (within fandom, often, outside of fandom, always), you tend to see the
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I see your point, but to be clear, I'm not trying to fall into that trap of defining lesbian negatively. I'm just saying, I can appreciate men's attractiveness on an aesthetic level, but nothing further than that, unlike with women. But I'm voluntarily celibate, so WTF do I know. :sits down, shuts up:
Asexuality is so completely rare in media, I know several coworkers who don't believe in its existence, which.... baffles me, but there you go. The only example of asexuality in popular culture is the BBC Sherlock, and then it seems to be a symptom of his sociopathy rather than an orientation, at least how the show portrays it. The only other example I can conjure up is Sheldon from Big Bang Theory, and there you have the same issue. It's annoying that I cannot recall ever seeing an asexual woman in media, ever. D8
tl;dr about a book you'll never read, lollucia_tanakaNovember 4 2010, 14:47:28 UTC
Basically, in the EDA books, the Doctor goes through a traumatic event that causes him to lose his memory. He gets placed on Earth in the 1900s to recover for 100 years, left with a note saying "Meet me in St. Louis, February 8th 2001 -- Fitz." His companion, Fitz, is dropped off on Earth around that date so they can meet up there.
But instead of them meeting in St. Louis, MO, which would make sense, EDA author Colin Brake bends over backwards to make sure this reunion takes place in London.
Also, to add insult to injury, the reunion in question was utterly devoid of emotional payoff, considering everything the Doctor and Fitz had gone through up to that point and aaaaaaargh.
In my head, Fitz and the Doctor did meet back up in St. Louis, Missouri,
MY WORK HERE IS DONE. (I don't even know if that fic is what you're referring to. But still. DONE.)
I don't feel qualified to actually respond to this post yet, however, as it's seven in the morning and it requires more thinkiness on my part. And has nothing whatsoever to do with John Sheppard.
I WILL ADMIT, I DO CONSIDER "SIMPLE PROGRESSIONS" MY HEADCANON. It makes so much more sense than Escape Velocity's take on it. Thank you for writing such a fantastic fix it fic.
Well, once you're in thinky mode, I'd love to hear what you think. 8D
It was all because I was determined to get the Doctor & Fitz into St. Louis. I know it way better than London. :p
And as for characters' sexuality...I guess I expect a spectrum of sexuality. I don't see the characters as strictly straight, the way most mainstream media probably expects me to, but I don't assume everyone is bi until proven otherwise, either. I think I'm more likely to default to thinking they're bi than either straight or gay, though; this might be because of my own preferences, or because it seems like many characters have chemistry with / seem attracted to other characters of both sexes.
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(I have exceptions, particularly for characters who've taken the time to openly think about who they're attracted to, but yeah - to me (Almost) Everyone Is Bi. No wonder I love Metal Gear XD)
I think it is reasonable to have metasexual thoughts about characters without actually fancying them? Believe it or not, I don't want to bone all the characters whose sex lives I've written about. Very very few of them tbh.
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And I think it's kind of the point of fandom to observe media like we're the intended audience, even though we're likely not. Well, not the point of fandom, but a point?
.... Same here. That's interesting. Huh.
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(I could blame bisexual erasure in fandom on the fact that most fans are monosexual, too).
I think I have a similar problem.... I can find men attractive and sexy, but I don't want to have sex with any. So I label myself as lesbian because I don't know what other term to use, but monosexuality as a social convention rings really, really true with me.
How to ID is your call, dude, but that's something I have been known to have problems with when it comes up in popular culture, eg in Peace Walker; defining lesbian as a negative - man-hating or not wanting to be with men - rather than a positive - wanting women - seems to play into stereotypes to me. With men (within fandom, often, outside of fandom, always), you tend to see the ( ... )
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Asexuality is so completely rare in media, I know several coworkers who don't believe in its existence, which.... baffles me, but there you go. The only example of asexuality in popular culture is the BBC Sherlock, and then it seems to be a symptom of his sociopathy rather than an orientation, at least how the show portrays it. The only other example I can conjure up is Sheldon from Big Bang Theory, and there you have the same issue. It's annoying that I cannot recall ever seeing an asexual woman in media, ever. D8
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(The comment has been removed)
But instead of them meeting in St. Louis, MO, which would make sense, EDA author Colin Brake bends over backwards to make sure this reunion takes place in London.
Also, to add insult to injury, the reunion in question was utterly devoid of emotional payoff, considering everything the Doctor and Fitz had gone through up to that point and aaaaaaargh.
Reply
MY WORK HERE IS DONE. (I don't even know if that fic is what you're referring to. But still. DONE.)
I don't feel qualified to actually respond to this post yet, however, as it's seven in the morning and it requires more thinkiness on my part. And has nothing whatsoever to do with John Sheppard.
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Well, once you're in thinky mode, I'd love to hear what you think. 8D
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And as for characters' sexuality...I guess I expect a spectrum of sexuality. I don't see the characters as strictly straight, the way most mainstream media probably expects me to, but I don't assume everyone is bi until proven otherwise, either. I think I'm more likely to default to thinking they're bi than either straight or gay, though; this might be because of my own preferences, or because it seems like many characters have chemistry with / seem attracted to other characters of both sexes.
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So... basic gaydar reading added with personal preference. Interesting.
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