Why do you write fanfiction? Why do you read it? The answers to these questions, the reasons behind it, are different for all of us, I think. Me? I read fanfictions for a lot of different reasons: I like to imagine the characters of a show thrown into completely different situations, I am in awe of the creativity of the people in fandom, sometimes I find the plots of those fanfics better than the ones you could find in one or more episodes of the show they're based on, I need the distraction from my sucky RL, and yes... also because I like to read about two guys going at it. I write fanfictions (or did) for a lot of different reasons, too: I started because I needed something to do, that's the whole truth, I started because I had something to say and the time to say it; I kept doing it to exorcise demons (I once wrote a story to have an outlet for my pissy mood,) because I loved the characters, because I didn't like the way the show ended and wanted to make myself feel better and find a better way to leave things.
I'm in my 40s; I'm as far from adolescence as I can be; I'm not reading or writing slash to "eradicate other women from the scene"; I do enjoy a well written sex scene but frankly the plot is what matters most to me. Most of all, I don't think slash is a way for me to protect myself so that I don't get my heart broken, as in: "Oh well, I'll make him gay so for one no other woman can have him, and for another if he's interested in other men that means he can be sexually objectified without being a threat for me! He will never reject me and if he does it's not because of me! It's because he's a gay baby!!!"
That is reductive, sexist, idiotic and only proves ignorance of a subject. And what pisses me off the most is that, apparently, if you feel like that *you* are the idiot who doesn't understand a thing and who should get their panties in a twist for war, famine or Ebola instead of fandom! Especially because the person who said all that is an actor and we all know they can do no wrong, right?
If you want the whole bit, and keep in mind I'm 100 times more pissed with the journalist who actually asked the ignorant, sexist and leading question, than I am with the aforementioned actor, this is the quote:
"He’s a machine and brutal and ruthless and has no time for the distractions of your fawning. Because, you know, they either want to make John [Watson] into a sort of cute little toy, or me into a cute toy, or we’re fucking in space on a bed, chained together.”
Cumberbatch is referring to the rapacious slash fiction community that has turned his chilly, acerbic, and distinctly asexual Sherlock into a lustful cock monster. “It’s always, like, one of them is tired, one comes back from work, the other is horny, a lump appears in his trousers, and then they’re at it,” he says. “It’s usually me getting it — I’m biting Watson’s dog tags.” Perhaps, I suggest, making Holmes and Watson gay is a way to remove other women from the picture. “Yes, yes,” he replies enthusiastically. “I think it’s about burgeoning sexuality in adolescence, because you don’t necessarily know how to operate that. And I think it’s a way of neutralizing the threat, so this person is sort of removed from them as somebody who could break their heart.”" - Benedict Cumberbatch for OUT magazine.
There's something else in that statement that rubs me the wrong way but I won't open that can or worms here. Suffice to say that, as someone on Tumblr stated, if you're ignorant about a subject, don't talk about it.
And yes, yes, he's an actor and he has every right not to be pleased about having his body "used" in ways he himself doesn't. He also has every right to be freaked out about the thought of fanfiction or slash or the likes. That's why I wish fans and journalists would STOP fucking asking actors about slash!
Other people who found the interview perfect and who agree with him, also have the right to state their opinion. Benedict is allowed, other fans are allowed.
It seems like people like me, otoh, are not allowed to feel how we do. We're not allowed to say what we think because "Ben's never wrong!" and "he's allowed to feel uncomfortable!" and "Ebola is more important than fanfic!" and "shouldn't you be more concerned about your RL anyway?"
Newsflash? Fandom and fanfic help me OUT (oh the irony....) of my RL.
You know, I could go on. I have so many more things to say but for one, I don't have the time to sit here and write a 30k long post, and for another... what I came here to say it's something else and so that's what I'm gonna say now.
The one thing this interview did for me was making me want to write a completely filthy, kinky, explicit PWP. I've never been able to do it because, shocker I know, but for me fanfic is about plot not sex so writing porn without plot isn't something I've ever thought to do. Lately I also skip sex scenes in a fanfic if the plot is so engaging I can't stop reading! Now, though, today? I'm going to see if I can write porn for the sake of porn. That's apparently all we do in fandom so why not?
It'll have to be a Brian/Justin PWP because I'm not able to write anything else but, assuming I'll be able to pull it off, I doubt you'll mind, uh?
Sorry for the rant, f-list, but hey! There could be porn in the future of this journal and isn't that all we're here for? /sarcasm
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