Sex Ed

[risingtides]

I recently wrote a fic which covered the topic of sex ed, and I've had something I've long considered fact confirned.

There's kids who are getting their sex-ed through fanfic. I find this disturbing, although I will admit I definately learned quite a bit about sex through fanfic (though not as much as I did when I was 11 and found my dad's XXX

Comments

[svz_insanity]

Somehow, I suspect I'm probably someone who confirmed your suspicion

[datenshi_blue]

Sex in fanfiction doesn't really faze me, nor do I believe everything I read, because, well... slashfics are usually written by females, and I doubt most women can accurately write about male/male relationships, as gen relationships are hard enough to write as it is. Fanfiction and stories that involve sex and love are usually overromanticize and make things seem better than it isto start with, and I have a feeling many writers also fake things, with the help of other writers and the wonderful invention as the internet. There's usually some fact people base it on, but it must take a lot of effort to not stray from it.

LOL. My gay friends have read some of my fanfics, and they went all cute and blushy and asking how the hell did I know so much about how it's done and how it works. Obviously I've never been in a man/man relationship, but don't underestimate what research and common sense can do for your fanfics.

[svz_insanity]

*facepalm*

One of my bi friends read a bit of a smutfic I'm working on please kill me now , and he said "Hmm... this is good and fairly accurate." Then he paused and asked me, in total seriousness, "... What kind of research did you do to get this information?"

I was at loss of words.

[datenshi_blue]

I admit you can 'learn' things through fanfics, or rather, have your point of view widened.

But if someone really considers that fanfic can make do as sex ed, they do have a problem.

Aside from that, since you're the writer, and you're the one creating the story, it should be up to you to decide how realistic you want to go. I can read a vampires story and I won't go sucking people's blood. I can read about people not having safe sex and nothing going wrong with them, and I'm smart enough to know that that's not the way it works in the real world.

I mean, really, I don't think you should be concerned about people taking your view as Gospel. They can like it better or worse, but it's still fanfic. If they want sex ed, they'd better go buy scientific books on the topic and stop reading fiction, right?

And let's not get into violence and games ^_^;; Under such a point of view, those could be considered a lot more dangerous than smutty fiction.

[arithion]

Hmmm I don't think you have a duty as such. It's fanfiction for crying out loud, it doesn't have to be realistic...

And well, we're writing stories about characters that are fictional anyway soooo, if anyone can't differentiate, you really need to wonder why.

I'm not really sure how to judge my own writing personally, but when I first discovered Yaoi fan fiction I gobbled up everything I could. If I found something too unbelieveable I let it be and went to another fic.

Research? I don't think that's something you should feel you have to do. I know my only research has consisted of asking a fair few of my gay friends ^_^ and one website I can't recall right now.

[yuki_scorpio]

do I, as an author, have a duty to make sure my fic is as accurate as possible, since someone might take me too literally?

I have no 'for' and 'against' arguement to offer on this, since I suck at constructive a coherent answer, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like to have to mention in every sex scene that my boys have removed their shoes and socks, and they are using a condom.

[anonymous]

I reply to people I find interesting, is my policy. I like getting people thinking - I usually have a definite opinion (usually somewhere in the middle) but I like them talking about it