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Day 8: On Homosexuality and Warnings
Another thinkythought post that I found on my thumbdrive.
On Homosexuality and Warnings
I'm not at all certain that this is going to make much sense as it's more a ramble and thinkythoughts than anything clearly outlined and written in a logical fashion (Spock, I am not). That being said – here goes.
I'm extremely bothered by the way that Fandom (and this is Fandom as a whole whether it's Harry Potter, Star Trek, Supernatural, Four Brothers, The Departed or a thousand and one other fandoms) sometimes warns for possible homosexual content.
It really bothers me when I see a warning for pre-slash. It really, really bothers me. And the reason that it bothers me is because I never see the warning for pre-het. If Kirk and McCoy are flirting during a mission but nothing comes of it and it's just because Kirk is totes a flirting h0r, then I do not see it as pre-slash just like when a fic features Kirk flirting with Uhura, it is not pre-het. Yet the first gets a warning of "pre-slash" and the second is considered normal and a-ok.
This really gives me the squidgies, the squirmies, the what are we doing, why are we doing this, grossed-out feeling. I feel, and I'm certain you'll feel differently, that it's helping to encourage the heteronormative blinders when we, as slash fans, should not be reinforcing the heteronormative and warning for Other when we perv over that Other. We are objectifying and fetishizing other people's lives but we're not willing to work for acceptance? That's how it comes across to me – that I'm willing to read about the buttsexx0rs but I'm totally willing to make it easy for you, the heteronormative the-possibility-of-gay-people-scare-me person, to avoid the possibility that there might be teh gheys out there.
I get that we label works as pre-slash because that gets us more viewers and that's another issue entirely. I hate that gen has this reputation of "boring". It's not. It's awesome. There are some amazing buddy!fics out there that totally deserve to be read. There are some awesome buddy!art that should be recced to New Vulcan and back.
But in the end, pre-slash isn't slash just like pre-het isn't het. I don't see either as a valid warning just like I don't see "het" and "slash" as valid warnings. The fact is, when a couple are listed, that should be enough of a clue. If someone can't pick up on the fact that a fic features Kirk/Scotty when I clearly label it as such, than it's a buyer beware thing.
It's a personal decision but I refuse to read anything that warns for slash because I find it infantile if not offensive.
My position, to sum up, is: Stop warning for the sexuality of the characters in your fic, art, whatever. Just list out the pairings or the characters. I have a brain and can figure out that if you put Kirk/McCoy, you mean Kirk/McCoy even if they're not bumping uglies. I'll know that it's a homosexual relationship and can choose accordingly. And if you don't mean it as Kirk/McCoy, don't list it as such. List it as Kirk, McCoy and I'll know that it's buddy!fic. Stop with the warnings about pre-slash. If you mean it to be slash, even if it's not in-your-face buttsexx0rs, then list the pairing and move on. If you don't mean it as slash, then it's gen buddy!fic and w00t on that, too.
I'm not at all certain that this is going to make much sense as it's more a ramble and thinkythoughts than anything clearly outlined and written in a logical fashion (Spock, I am not). That being said – here goes.
I'm extremely bothered by the way that Fandom (and this is Fandom as a whole whether it's Harry Potter, Star Trek, Supernatural, Four Brothers, The Departed or a thousand and one other fandoms) sometimes warns for possible homosexual content.
It really bothers me when I see a warning for pre-slash. It really, really bothers me. And the reason that it bothers me is because I never see the warning for pre-het. If Kirk and McCoy are flirting during a mission but nothing comes of it and it's just because Kirk is totes a flirting h0r, then I do not see it as pre-slash just like when a fic features Kirk flirting with Uhura, it is not pre-het. Yet the first gets a warning of "pre-slash" and the second is considered normal and a-ok.
This really gives me the squidgies, the squirmies, the what are we doing, why are we doing this, grossed-out feeling. I feel, and I'm certain you'll feel differently, that it's helping to encourage the heteronormative blinders when we, as slash fans, should not be reinforcing the heteronormative and warning for Other when we perv over that Other. We are objectifying and fetishizing other people's lives but we're not willing to work for acceptance? That's how it comes across to me – that I'm willing to read about the buttsexx0rs but I'm totally willing to make it easy for you, the heteronormative the-possibility-of-gay-people-scare-me person, to avoid the possibility that there might be teh gheys out there.
I get that we label works as pre-slash because that gets us more viewers and that's another issue entirely. I hate that gen has this reputation of "boring". It's not. It's awesome. There are some amazing buddy!fics out there that totally deserve to be read. There are some awesome buddy!art that should be recced to New Vulcan and back.
But in the end, pre-slash isn't slash just like pre-het isn't het. I don't see either as a valid warning just like I don't see "het" and "slash" as valid warnings. The fact is, when a couple are listed, that should be enough of a clue. If someone can't pick up on the fact that a fic features Kirk/Scotty when I clearly label it as such, than it's a buyer beware thing.
It's a personal decision but I refuse to read anything that warns for slash because I find it infantile if not offensive.
My position, to sum up, is: Stop warning for the sexuality of the characters in your fic, art, whatever. Just list out the pairings or the characters. I have a brain and can figure out that if you put Kirk/McCoy, you mean Kirk/McCoy even if they're not bumping uglies. I'll know that it's a homosexual relationship and can choose accordingly. And if you don't mean it as Kirk/McCoy, don't list it as such. List it as Kirk, McCoy and I'll know that it's buddy!fic. Stop with the warnings about pre-slash. If you mean it to be slash, even if it's not in-your-face buttsexx0rs, then list the pairing and move on. If you don't mean it as slash, then it's gen buddy!fic and w00t on that, too.
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