Slash - Do we have any hardcore slashers here?

Sarah · Slash - Do we have any hardcore slashers here?

I've been a part of the Harry Potter fandom for a long time. In particular, the slash contingent. I'm used to reading slash, talking about slash, reading about slash, writing slash, etc. I see slash everywhere. I study queer theory at school. It's like...a big part of my life. And it's all because of Harry Potter.

But I'm not the only one out there! There are many others! And if there are a few others here, I'd like to offer you a podcast posted today. It's a discussion panel that was held at the Harry Potter convention in New Orleans this year "Phoenix Rising". It was entitled Shipping the Velvet: Slash Fandom, Convergence, and Why You Should Care About HP MPreg. I realise that this is very much centred around discussion about the Harry Potter books, fandom and character pairings. However, it is more than that, and these people discuss the slash fandom phenomena from fannish, academic and media points of view. So if you're into slash and like intellectual discussions, check it out for sure!

naturally*super

OK, I'm feeling very Embarassed

but in a nutshell can you give me a brief explanation of what "slash" is? Thx. Wink

Sarah

Oh, wow. Heh. Hehehe. Sorry. I never thought I'd have to explain it to somebody, because I've just been IN slash fandom for six years now and I'm used to everyone just KNOWING.

But a slash fic is a story about two guys in a romantic or sexual relationship together. "Slashers" or "slash shippers" are people who read/write/or 'believe in' a pairing (or multiple pairings) that involves two men. Does that make sense?

So like...in Harry Potter, they could ship Harry and Draco together. In Supernatural, a lot of people tend to ship Sam and Dean together (of course, they're referred to as Wincesters, but yeah). If it was Star Wars it could be Anakin and Han Solo, etc etc.

naturally*super

OK, gotcha. Thanks. Wink

*runs away in embarrassment for not knowing* -laugh-

Sarah

Hey, don't be embarrassed! I'm sorry I wasn't more explicit. I'm just so used to using fan lingo. Feel free to ask as many questions as you like. I just felt a little foolish for assuming. Smile

Jule

I was so untired (is that a word?) and bored last night, that I decided to give slash in general and Wincest a try.

I went out with my friends, but we all got so tired so early (11 pm! I guess we're getting old Laughing

) that we decided to go back home. Once I arrived at home, after driving half an hour through the cold night, of course I wasn't tired at all any more.

Sarah, I thought I'd start with your link in the post above, but I doesn't work. So I went to Google instead, googled Wincest and got loads of stuff. They actually have that word in the urban dictionary and on wikipedia, did you know?

But to keep the long story short:
I'm so not into Wincest. I figured I wouldn't like it, but I didn't expect it to make me feel completely sick. I was close to throwing up.

Slash in general, that's another thing. I might keep reading that. It's interesting, but I guess I'll need some time to get used to it.

Sarah

Eep! Sorry you felt sick! But I mean, Wincest is just part of the slash corner of the Supernatural fandom. Like I said above, I was a Harry Potter slash fan, so my One True Pairing (OTP) is Harry/Draco. It's hard to shake that and read just "het" fic after you've been reading slash fic for going on seven years. I felt pretty sick about Wincest at first, too. The whole brothers thing creeps me out. I've read it, I'll admit that. But for the most part, I like reading gen fics in the SN fandom. I get my slash kicks from the J2 (Jared/Jensen) fandom. XD I know that's really naughty but I understand that it's fake and they're not really dating. And the nice thing too, is that the J2 fandom? Is DOMINATED by Alternate Universe fics. So you see the boys, but they're not... "them", you know? It's good times. Smile

Jule

Sarah

o.O Sooo...if it's not the brother thing that freaks you out, what is it?
I know there are some pretty dark ones out there that are totally OC and make you go WTF? but there are also some really well-written ones that actually make you believe that the boys could fall into that sort of relationship. I tend to avoid anything involving abuse. I don't read any pre-series Wincest and I don't read anything with John. Freaks me right out. I'm more comfortable with the ones where they're consenting adults. Anything with Sam being under 18 gives me the heeby-jeebies. >.<

I won't attack you either way. I'm just honestly curious about your opinion. The why's and wherefore's about Wincest reading or not-reading really intrigues me, because I still can't figure out why I/we do/don't read it.

Jule

Oops, I think I didn't express myself right.

The brother thing definitely creeps me out and it's the reason I don't want to read it again. I simply can't imagine either of them crossing that line. Plus it feels so wrong to me.
In my post above I just wanted to point out that it's not the only creepy thing about Wincest. One of them paired up with John is even more gross. A father hitting on his son? Urgh! Big no-go!
And the age thing... yep, there was one with Sam being underage which made me cringe. As if Dean was some pedophile. *shudders*

Sarah

Those are the ones that bug me. That and the ones where you start reading and they're just randomly together for no reason whatsoever. It's so out of character and mind-boggling. If I'm going to read it, it has to be in character and it has to be believable. WHY did they end up in this relationship? HOW? WHEN? There has to be a really really good reason for it. Saying "they were both hot" is NOT a reason for BROTHERS to start a relationship with one another.

The best reason I've come across is that they are all each other has, literally. Each one is the only person who really knows and understands the other, they've both got incredibly fucked-up pasts, they can't settle down, both have tried to have serious relationships with girls and they've all failed one way or another, and each is the single most important person in the other's life. Sure, there's Bobby. But he's a father figure. So inherently, any Wincest fanfiction MUST be an angst-ridden mindfuck. That's how I see it. If you really think about it...how would any of us feel if we suddenly found ourselves with romantic feelings for a sibling? SICKBADWRONG, right? The mental and emotional torture it'd inflict on both of them, before and after a relationship began, would be tremendous. And...juicy, actually, which is sort of the only reason I read it. I'm an angst-whore.

So. There's got to be a really good reason, there's got to be a LOT of angst, it can't happen pre-series, it can't involve abuse *shudders* and it has to be entirely consensual.

Blah, the whole taking-advantage scenario bothers me so much in general. (I mean, it's different when you're reading fic based in prison because that's just realistic.) But it especially bothers me with these two. Dean loves Sam SO MUCH. To read him in a fic where he takes advantage of/hurts Sam? He would never. And if he ever did, he'd probably top himself right after. And to read him in a fic where Sam takes advantage of him? He'd be devastated, but he wouldn't be able to LEAVE. And finally, in a fic where he ALLOWS Sam to take advantage of him? Makes my stomach clench because Dean probably would if he thought that was what Sam needed to go on, but to think of himself willingly breaking himself apart like that... *shudders* I can't even. Just...no. NO.

hotblooded4dean

Sarah

Not a reason to start a relationship, honey. Razz

A reason for them to have sex after starting a relationship? Hells yes. A reason for them to WANT to start a relationship? Of course. But considering the whole "omg brothers" thing, being hot does not a relationship make.

Two brothers being hot = PWP. PWP = just porn for porn's sake. Not that there's anything wrong with that!