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timepiececlockIs it possible to have a straightforward discussion of the validity of slash as a character ship (not a fandom ship), without having people get upset?
Sometimes I'd like to sit down with yaoi (slash) fans of Gundam Wing and debate with them why Heero and Duo are not gay, but Quatre and Trowa might be. Or with Highlander, why I do think Methos did it with Byron, but not with Duncan. Or the canon-based exptrapolation of Spike/Angel versus Spike/Xander-- or, if one were so inclined, why none of those work and everyone is straight unless explicitly and irrevicably stated otherwise, or vice versa.
But it seems that slash discussions between people who disagree on whether a slash pairing is valid as a "conventional" couple instead of an unconvention/fandom-based one, always go badly-- and then no one ever really gets to hear the other side's reasons.
Is it just that it's an argument best had in person, where you can read each other's expressions and not take offense so easily?
Do people censor themselves and not try to talk about it, for fear of starting an unintended argument?
Is there a way to say "I don't believe in your ship, you don't believe in mine, let's talk about it and explore why" without the conversation eventually getting bitter?
Do slash fans and het fans even want to have discussion and debate about it?
Or is it like putting Pro-Life-ers in a room with Pro-choice-ers and telling them to talk about only abortion: there will be blood and vitriol no matter how good your intentions?
Sometimes I'd like to sit down with yaoi (slash) fans of Gundam Wing and debate with them why Heero and Duo are not gay, but Quatre and Trowa might be. Or with Highlander, why I do think Methos did it with Byron, but not with Duncan. Or the canon-based exptrapolation of Spike/Angel versus Spike/Xander-- or, if one were so inclined, why none of those work and everyone is straight unless explicitly and irrevicably stated otherwise, or vice versa.
But it seems that slash discussions between people who disagree on whether a slash pairing is valid as a "conventional" couple instead of an unconvention/fandom-based one, always go badly-- and then no one ever really gets to hear the other side's reasons.
Is it just that it's an argument best had in person, where you can read each other's expressions and not take offense so easily?
Do people censor themselves and not try to talk about it, for fear of starting an unintended argument?
Is there a way to say "I don't believe in your ship, you don't believe in mine, let's talk about it and explore why" without the conversation eventually getting bitter?
Do slash fans and het fans even want to have discussion and debate about it?
Or is it like putting Pro-Life-ers in a room with Pro-choice-ers and telling them to talk about only abortion: there will be blood and vitriol no matter how good your intentions?
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Date: 2003-10-04 07:49 pm (UTC)There's definite differences between anime and tv/movie genre fans in that regard-- I'm not sure if there is any fandom in anime where yaoi could be qualified as minority (I say that tentatively, because anime fans are so many for so many shows, and I've only experienced a small part of that.) Mostly because anime has a lot more of it in canon than western tv/books/comics/movies do.
By the way, I'm glad you like the icon! The Shawshank Redemption is one of my favorite films too. It's amazing.