I have wondered about some of the points you mention in your post. Slash fandom seems to me to be driven by different non-normative desires that may overlap one another. Sometimes I'm strikingly reminded of the situation by fanworks through which one driving kind of desire offends or exclude others.
I remember, too, a petition drive in a sci-fi fandom meant to persuade the creators to make a m/m pairing be canon. I noticed at least two kinds of visibility and representation as the participants' goals. One was the visibility and representation of queer characters and relationships. Another was the visibility and representation of fans of m/m relationships. The two, to my mind, were arguably motivated by queer desires, and each could confront the other in highly explosive ways, whether positive or negative.
As for my own experience, I get very nervous about fanworks featuring a canonically bisexual character. I also feel excluded when the idea of 'I'm not gay, I'm just gay for you' is handled in a way that denies the existence of bisexuality or the fluidity of what we think of as sexuality.
I'm going to subscribe for the fangrrl commentary. :)
no subject
I have wondered about some of the points you mention in your post. Slash fandom seems to me to be driven by different non-normative desires that may overlap one another. Sometimes I'm strikingly reminded of the situation by fanworks through which one driving kind of desire offends or exclude others.
I remember, too, a petition drive in a sci-fi fandom meant to persuade the creators to make a m/m pairing be canon. I noticed at least two kinds of visibility and representation as the participants' goals. One was the visibility and representation of queer characters and relationships. Another was the visibility and representation of fans of m/m relationships. The two, to my mind, were arguably motivated by queer desires, and each could confront the other in highly explosive ways, whether positive or negative.
As for my own experience, I get very nervous about fanworks featuring a canonically bisexual character. I also feel excluded when the idea of 'I'm not gay, I'm just gay for you' is handled in a way that denies the existence of bisexuality or the fluidity of what we think of as sexuality.
I'm going to subscribe for the fangrrl commentary. :)