The problem I see is that it's really hard to separate fictional characters as not relevant to real social issues.
I completely agree with you here, and I would never suggest that because something is fictional, it's not relevant to real social issues. I just have a distinction built up in my head between 'gay fiction' and 'slash fiction' as a genre. I have my own personal definitions for each, but I realize they aren't shared by everyone. (Anyone?) I bring it up only as a non-homophobic reason to dislike/want to exclude slash fiction. (Does it justify the exclusion? I'm starting to think not.)
I know that you're not a bigot.
And I know that your disagreeing with me and criticizing my arguments does not mean you think I am. So: no worries there!
I don't think the comparison between slash fiction and Muslim people is a fair one: prejudging a type of fanfiction is not analagous to prejudging people, for any reason. If it were really popular for people who weren't Muslim, and possibly had very little experience with real Muslims, to write fiction about being Muslim in a way that often fetishized Muslim culture: wouldn't you have objections and be tempted to avoid that genre?
Of course, you would argue: what about the stories that were written by Muslims? Or the ones that were written by non-Muslims in a way that was respectful and fairly true to the authentic experience? Is it right to exclude everything just because a lot of it gets it wrong?
No, I don't really think so. Because I do see your larger point: that people will transport (real or perceived) attitudes from one area of life to another.
I am not (philosophically) opposed to slash-only, het-only, gen-only, trans-only, kink-only, poly-only or ANY-only archives. People like what they like, and it is possible to dislike reading about something without being prejudiced toward that thing in your real life.
However, I do think I am taking a stance that is far too philosophical. (I do that a lot. I'm a very logical person and completely able to compartmentalize my feelings about different issues. I forget that most people don't do that.) Even operating under the best of intentions, a culture of exclusion does exist, and to ignore that and the way it would color perceptions of a het-only comm is naive at best. (I need to remind myself more often that the shades of nuance I perceive in my head aren't visible to onlookers.)
(This is totally a blog post and with your permission, I would like to discuss this on my author blog [on your terms, naturally])
You don't need my permission to make a blog post! Blog away. :D (What sort of terms do I get to set? Can I demand that you discuss the issue in blank verse?)
no subject
I completely agree with you here, and I would never suggest that because something is fictional, it's not relevant to real social issues. I just have a distinction built up in my head between 'gay fiction' and 'slash fiction' as a genre. I have my own personal definitions for each, but I realize they aren't shared by everyone. (Anyone?) I bring it up only as a non-homophobic reason to dislike/want to exclude slash fiction. (Does it justify the exclusion? I'm starting to think not.)
I know that you're not a bigot.
And I know that your disagreeing with me and criticizing my arguments does not mean you think I am. So: no worries there!
I don't think the comparison between slash fiction and Muslim people is a fair one: prejudging a type of fanfiction is not analagous to prejudging people, for any reason. If it were really popular for people who weren't Muslim, and possibly had very little experience with real Muslims, to write fiction about being Muslim in a way that often fetishized Muslim culture: wouldn't you have objections and be tempted to avoid that genre?
Of course, you would argue: what about the stories that were written by Muslims? Or the ones that were written by non-Muslims in a way that was respectful and fairly true to the authentic experience? Is it right to exclude everything just because a lot of it gets it wrong?
No, I don't really think so. Because I do see your larger point: that people will transport (real or perceived) attitudes from one area of life to another.
I am not (philosophically) opposed to slash-only, het-only, gen-only, trans-only, kink-only, poly-only or ANY-only archives. People like what they like, and it is possible to dislike reading about something without being prejudiced toward that thing in your real life.
However, I do think I am taking a stance that is far too philosophical. (I do that a lot. I'm a very logical person and completely able to compartmentalize my feelings about different issues. I forget that most people don't do that.) Even operating under the best of intentions, a culture of exclusion does exist, and to ignore that and the way it would color perceptions of a het-only comm is naive at best. (I need to remind myself more often that the shades of nuance I perceive in my head aren't visible to onlookers.)
(This is totally a blog post and with your permission, I would like to discuss this on my author blog [on your terms, naturally])
You don't need my permission to make a blog post! Blog away. :D (What sort of terms do I get to set? Can I demand that you discuss the issue in blank verse?)