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seriousficRecently, I've heard some talk about labeling slash. You think it'd be a simple system, but no! We can't have nice things. Some people are saying that slash... is any non-canon pairing.
So, for instance, if I were writing a POTC fanfic and were pairing Elizabeth with a gentleman who she wasn't romantically or sexually involved with in canon, like Captain Jack... like Commodore Norrington... like Captain Sao Fang... damnit, that girl gets around. Okay, like Captain Barbossa. Now, wasn't in the movies, so it counts as slash by this definition. Let's say I call it that. What do I do when the people who are looking for some hetfic go "meh" and the people looking for slash click and go "wait, Barbossa/Elizabeth? Where's the buttsecks?"
Conversely, let's say I write about characters who are gay and together in canon, like Billy and Teddy from the New Avengers. That could quickly lead to something out of an Abbott & Costello routine.
"I'm looking for some hot slash."
"Well, I wrote some Billy/Teddy, but it's not slash."
"But it's about Billy and Teddy as a couple?"
"Yes."
"So it's slash."
"No, it's about Billy and Teddy, the gay couple from the Young Avengers."
"So in your fic, they're romantically involved?"
"Yes."
"So, you're slashing them."
"No."
"THIRD BASE!"
This isn't so much a great big socially social issue as it is a knowing what the heck people are SAYING issue. If I say slash, people know I mean men getting it on with other men. If I say history, people know I mean things that happen before now. Now, maybe "ourtory" is a better word because it's more inclusive and blah blah blah, but when I say history, everyone knows what I'm talking about.
If I say I'm writing slash, the people who are looking for slash know how to find me. If I say I'm writing gen, then no one's looking for me so I can bask in my isolation. (I like to call it my alone time.)
There's an old saying where I come from... if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It's amazing enough that all the varied, sundry fandoms have managed to agree on fanfic terms to the extent we have. Let's not go breaking that fragile peace just because it seems politically correct.
So, for instance, if I were writing a POTC fanfic and were pairing Elizabeth with a gentleman who she wasn't romantically or sexually involved with in canon, like Captain Jack... like Commodore Norrington... like Captain Sao Fang... damnit, that girl gets around. Okay, like Captain Barbossa. Now, wasn't in the movies, so it counts as slash by this definition. Let's say I call it that. What do I do when the people who are looking for some hetfic go "meh" and the people looking for slash click and go "wait, Barbossa/Elizabeth? Where's the buttsecks?"
Conversely, let's say I write about characters who are gay and together in canon, like Billy and Teddy from the New Avengers. That could quickly lead to something out of an Abbott & Costello routine.
"I'm looking for some hot slash."
"Well, I wrote some Billy/Teddy, but it's not slash."
"But it's about Billy and Teddy as a couple?"
"Yes."
"So it's slash."
"No, it's about Billy and Teddy, the gay couple from the Young Avengers."
"So in your fic, they're romantically involved?"
"Yes."
"So, you're slashing them."
"No."
"THIRD BASE!"
This isn't so much a great big socially social issue as it is a knowing what the heck people are SAYING issue. If I say slash, people know I mean men getting it on with other men. If I say history, people know I mean things that happen before now. Now, maybe "ourtory" is a better word because it's more inclusive and blah blah blah, but when I say history, everyone knows what I'm talking about.
If I say I'm writing slash, the people who are looking for slash know how to find me. If I say I'm writing gen, then no one's looking for me so I can bask in my isolation. (I like to call it my alone time.)
There's an old saying where I come from... if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It's amazing enough that all the varied, sundry fandoms have managed to agree on fanfic terms to the extent we have. Let's not go breaking that fragile peace just because it seems politically correct.
