I haven't, no. Didn't even know about it until reading the article. It sounds fascinating though, and I think I'd love a pseudo-outsider's perspective on this "cultural phenomenon" we've all been happily partaking in since, for me, 1995.
I found the author's insistence that slash fic isn't about sex to be a bit disingenuous.
It's not about sex in that the sex is the sole reason for the existance of every piece of slash. But, using the recent 100 Ways Challenge as an example, it does happen. Some of it is a sort of voyeuristic wish-fulfillment in that the author wants to see what she/he writes to happen between her characters of choice for no real reason other than 'Ooh, pretty!' but that's not why most of us write. Most of us write to create a story, to explain the odd bit of canon the boys never followed up on (or creators, but I'm talking about what I know right now and that's popslash), etc. Absolutely, sex should, as it tends to in the real world, involve emotional connection.
You know, I think a lot of people would find some element of strangeness in the women! writing sex scenes! to be read by other women! scenario. Why don't we watch porn? "Read" Playgirl? Or romance novels? Why do we take it upon ourselves to write often-explicit literature using existing characters/real people? It's an awful labor-intensive way to go about entertaining ourselves and not terribly conventional. I don't think many people go into it as conscious rebellion against privatized folk culture (which totally applies to real people, too - spin doctors? Interviewers with an agenda or who are being paid to paint them a certain way? It's all terribly fascinating, and the irony is that we're probably working with less solid canon than comics/TV/movie fandoms.) Truth be told, if you asked me why I do it, I'd cite the guys - but why do I take this path instead of being satisfied with going to shows or hanging out on message boards talking about interviews and how cute they are, etc. Why the fanfic, too? It's always a little embarrassing to explain to someone about fanfic, because we're already a marginalized subculture of fans, but the prospect that what we do can be seen as any sort of legitimate expression? Most people roll their eyes and pet your head. I loved that the author of the article didn't.
On another note, when's the last time we had a really good discussion instead of kerfuffle in popslash? Lamentably long ago. I'm so sick of the intra-fen to-dos and the raging civil war between JC/Justin fen. To that end, despite your dislike of their music (some of which I might love with ever-escalating passion), you're very quickly becoming my favorite commenter, and for that, I thank you.
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Date: September 5th, 2004 11:47 am (UTC)I found the author's insistence that slash fic isn't about sex to be a bit disingenuous.
It's not about sex in that the sex is the sole reason for the existance of every piece of slash. But, using the recent 100 Ways Challenge as an example, it does happen. Some of it is a sort of voyeuristic wish-fulfillment in that the author wants to see what she/he writes to happen between her characters of choice for no real reason other than 'Ooh, pretty!' but that's not why most of us write. Most of us write to create a story, to explain the odd bit of canon the boys never followed up on (or creators, but I'm talking about what I know right now and that's popslash), etc. Absolutely, sex should, as it tends to in the real world, involve emotional connection.
You know, I think a lot of people would find some element of strangeness in the women! writing sex scenes! to be read by other women! scenario. Why don't we watch porn? "Read" Playgirl? Or romance novels? Why do we take it upon ourselves to write often-explicit literature using existing characters/real people? It's an awful labor-intensive way to go about entertaining ourselves and not terribly conventional. I don't think many people go into it as conscious rebellion against privatized folk culture (which totally applies to real people, too - spin doctors? Interviewers with an agenda or who are being paid to paint them a certain way? It's all terribly fascinating, and the irony is that we're probably working with less solid canon than comics/TV/movie fandoms.) Truth be told, if you asked me why I do it, I'd cite the guys - but why do I take this path instead of being satisfied with going to shows or hanging out on message boards talking about interviews and how cute they are, etc. Why the fanfic, too? It's always a little embarrassing to explain to someone about fanfic, because we're already a marginalized subculture of fans, but the prospect that what we do can be seen as any sort of legitimate expression? Most people roll their eyes and pet your head. I loved that the author of the article didn't.
On another note, when's the last time we had a really good discussion instead of kerfuffle in popslash? Lamentably long ago. I'm so sick of the intra-fen to-dos and the raging civil war between JC/Justin fen. To that end, despite your dislike of their music (some of which I might love with ever-escalating passion), you're very quickly becoming my favorite commenter, and for that, I thank you.