It is especially true in some fandoms, I think. Sherlock is a prime example, if you write anything that even has female characters in that fandom you're inherently subversive. Which bothers me on so many levels, I have problem finding words. But I think it really does boil down to internalized structures, if only because I myself sometimes find myself falling back on those, finding the male stories more interesting and relevant, and I've spent over ten years trying to rid myself of those structures.
Yes, Sherlock in particular seems to fall into that. I think what gets me most is the prevalence of Mycroft/Lestrade--as though fandom collectively decided it needed another pairing in addition to John/Sherlock, and what it settled on was the other two men.
finding the male stories more interesting and relevant
Out of curiosity, do you think genderswap is an extension of that? It's a subgenre I love, though mostly just in Holmes fandom, but I've been wondering lately whether it subverts the problem or just highlights it.
Hmm, genderswap is always a tricky one. I guess it depends a bit on why they've done the genderswap. If they're trying to genuinely highlight some issues or see how the characters work when the gender is changed it can be totally awesome. I think Holmes fandom has a lot of that, but I've not come across any long Victorian genderswap, and that would be awesome.
Then, sometimes the gender is changed for sex, or written in stupid and stereotypical ways (Supernatural fandom seems to have a lot of this, or maybe I've just come across the wrong things), and that's just... no. Or taking your preferred guyslash couple, change the gender and go "look, I do write femslash" when that's the only thing you've written is... yeah.
Mixed opinions? I think the first example doesn't at all have to be an extension of that, even if it could be, and the second is very much an extension of that.
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finding the male stories more interesting and relevant
Out of curiosity, do you think genderswap is an extension of that? It's a subgenre I love, though mostly just in Holmes fandom, but I've been wondering lately whether it subverts the problem or just highlights it.
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Then, sometimes the gender is changed for sex, or written in stupid and stereotypical ways (Supernatural fandom seems to have a lot of this, or maybe I've just come across the wrong things), and that's just... no. Or taking your preferred guyslash couple, change the gender and go "look, I do write femslash" when that's the only thing you've written is... yeah.
Mixed opinions? I think the first example doesn't at all have to be an extension of that, even if it could be, and the second is very much an extension of that.
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