Fic: All The Painted Masks - Author's Notes
Title: All The Painted Masks
Author: phaetonschariot
Pairing: Ianto/Lisa
Rating: PG
Warnings: Interracial relationship
Summary: Some challenges are bigger than others; none are bigger than meeting the in-laws.
As you might imagine, I have some things to say about this whole thing. Firstly, and most importantly, I apologise, deeply, for the warning I placed in the headers. I know that it is a belief that a few people still hold, that such things are distasteful, but the overwhelming majority of people (I would hope) recognise that that view is one borne in bigotry, bigotry that has no validity in fact. I did put a lot of thought into this. I know it's problematic. I am white, and have met few black people - we tend towards Asian, Pacific Islanders, Middle Easterners, etc. And yet I'm writing about the relationship between a white man and a black woman, and using that to draw attention to a problem regarding the way homosexuality is treated in fandom.
Racism, sexism and homophobia are not equivalents, I know. Even homophobia towards gay men is different from that towards gay women. I have one request only for those reading this - if you come across people talking about why it bothers them, read it. Homophobia and sex issues are my platform, because those are what I know about from personal experience. The only way I can learn about racism is to listen to the people who've experienced that. Other than this request, anything anyone has to say about me is fine. I don't want anyone to charge in and defend me on a horse of whatever colour or breeding, unless, I don't know, you see blatant factual errors. But don't be a dick about it.
There is, I feel, a certain irony in a white girl writing about race issues to deliberately reflect on the overwhelmingly straight people who warn for the gay relationships they write about even when said relationships are canon, though actually I'd like to think that this story was more about Ianto's lying liar act than anything else. Either way. PoC, I apologise. I can only imagine how hurtful these things are to you and try to express that I did this because I thought it was an important point that needed to be made.
To everyone else, and the meat of this explanation: Try to think about how you felt when you first saw the warnings line. Were you shocked? Angry? Disgusted? Did you go to grab some popcorn and think about how badly this would end?
Those are the things I feel when I see people warn for slash, with one exception. There is no popcorn for me. I know from experience that there is not likely to be any wank at all. Occasionally someone will speak up, and chances are very high that that person will be from within my own social circle, not a stranger.
We know that we should feel disgusted at bigotry towards interracial couples. (I would say "at racism", but sadly it is still a huge problem precisely because so many people don't feel disgusted by it.) And yet, warning for homosexual relationships - canon homosexual relationships, usually - is something that a large number of people even in this fandom don't think twice about. Some compare it to warning for fluff or crack or any number of other things.
The difference is that fluff and crack are abstract concepts. Slash is something that real people identify with. Warning for homosexuality strengthens the idea that innocent minds and homosexuality are two things that should not mix. In real life, gays and lesbians and everything in between are not allowed to marry in most places. They are not allowed to adopt, because they might teach the children about gay sex. There are people who are not allowed to see their own nieces and nephews because of the bigotry of their family members. There are parents who are refused custody of their own children because they came out as gay. Most homosexuality on television is shown only post-watershed, and if it isn't the station will receive hundreds of complaints. Sometimes they will even if it is post-watershed. "What do I tell my children?" parents demand, something that can be seen in the comment sections on any story related to the public expression of non-heterosexuality. (Remember Adam Lambert and his appearance on Good Morning being canceled?)
When you warn for slash, this is how I feel. You are reinforcing the message that I am unsuitable, abnormal, twisted, dangerous even in some ways. It hurts. Not only being told that, but knowing that the warning also tells people that it's okay to believe that about me.
It is not okay. It is never okay to believe that about someone for something outside of their control. You cannot control who you fall in love with, be they black, white, male, female, or anything in between. You cannot control who you are attracted to, who you're drawn to. And if you do believe it, it's not okay to act as though your opinion is more valid than anyone else's on the subject.
An anecdote to finish, on that note. When New Zealand was legalising civil unions for same sex partners, one of our MPs was interviewed in the newspaper. He was a devout Muslim who was morally opposed to homosexuality. He voted in favour of civil unions because, as he said, he believes in the separation of church and state. I do not remember that man's name, but I have so much respect for him, even though it pains me that something that simple should be so extraordinary.
Author: phaetonschariot
Pairing: Ianto/Lisa
Rating: PG
Warnings: Interracial relationship
Summary: Some challenges are bigger than others; none are bigger than meeting the in-laws.
As you might imagine, I have some things to say about this whole thing. Firstly, and most importantly, I apologise, deeply, for the warning I placed in the headers. I know that it is a belief that a few people still hold, that such things are distasteful, but the overwhelming majority of people (I would hope) recognise that that view is one borne in bigotry, bigotry that has no validity in fact. I did put a lot of thought into this. I know it's problematic. I am white, and have met few black people - we tend towards Asian, Pacific Islanders, Middle Easterners, etc. And yet I'm writing about the relationship between a white man and a black woman, and using that to draw attention to a problem regarding the way homosexuality is treated in fandom.
Racism, sexism and homophobia are not equivalents, I know. Even homophobia towards gay men is different from that towards gay women. I have one request only for those reading this - if you come across people talking about why it bothers them, read it. Homophobia and sex issues are my platform, because those are what I know about from personal experience. The only way I can learn about racism is to listen to the people who've experienced that. Other than this request, anything anyone has to say about me is fine. I don't want anyone to charge in and defend me on a horse of whatever colour or breeding, unless, I don't know, you see blatant factual errors. But don't be a dick about it.
There is, I feel, a certain irony in a white girl writing about race issues to deliberately reflect on the overwhelmingly straight people who warn for the gay relationships they write about even when said relationships are canon, though actually I'd like to think that this story was more about Ianto's lying liar act than anything else. Either way. PoC, I apologise. I can only imagine how hurtful these things are to you and try to express that I did this because I thought it was an important point that needed to be made.
To everyone else, and the meat of this explanation: Try to think about how you felt when you first saw the warnings line. Were you shocked? Angry? Disgusted? Did you go to grab some popcorn and think about how badly this would end?
Those are the things I feel when I see people warn for slash, with one exception. There is no popcorn for me. I know from experience that there is not likely to be any wank at all. Occasionally someone will speak up, and chances are very high that that person will be from within my own social circle, not a stranger.
We know that we should feel disgusted at bigotry towards interracial couples. (I would say "at racism", but sadly it is still a huge problem precisely because so many people don't feel disgusted by it.) And yet, warning for homosexual relationships - canon homosexual relationships, usually - is something that a large number of people even in this fandom don't think twice about. Some compare it to warning for fluff or crack or any number of other things.
The difference is that fluff and crack are abstract concepts. Slash is something that real people identify with. Warning for homosexuality strengthens the idea that innocent minds and homosexuality are two things that should not mix. In real life, gays and lesbians and everything in between are not allowed to marry in most places. They are not allowed to adopt, because they might teach the children about gay sex. There are people who are not allowed to see their own nieces and nephews because of the bigotry of their family members. There are parents who are refused custody of their own children because they came out as gay. Most homosexuality on television is shown only post-watershed, and if it isn't the station will receive hundreds of complaints. Sometimes they will even if it is post-watershed. "What do I tell my children?" parents demand, something that can be seen in the comment sections on any story related to the public expression of non-heterosexuality. (Remember Adam Lambert and his appearance on Good Morning being canceled?)
When you warn for slash, this is how I feel. You are reinforcing the message that I am unsuitable, abnormal, twisted, dangerous even in some ways. It hurts. Not only being told that, but knowing that the warning also tells people that it's okay to believe that about me.
It is not okay. It is never okay to believe that about someone for something outside of their control. You cannot control who you fall in love with, be they black, white, male, female, or anything in between. You cannot control who you are attracted to, who you're drawn to. And if you do believe it, it's not okay to act as though your opinion is more valid than anyone else's on the subject.
An anecdote to finish, on that note. When New Zealand was legalising civil unions for same sex partners, one of our MPs was interviewed in the newspaper. He was a devout Muslim who was morally opposed to homosexuality. He voted in favour of civil unions because, as he said, he believes in the separation of church and state. I do not remember that man's name, but I have so much respect for him, even though it pains me that something that simple should be so extraordinary.