Henry Jenkins’ work on popular cultures and the internets has been recommended to me, though I haven’t gotten around to reading his stuff. It seems as if I really should take a look at his latest – Fans, Bloggers and Gamers: Essays in Participatory Culture. This review in Particip@tions by Neil Perryman suggests it contains at least one intriguing essay:
‘Normal Female Interest in Men Bonking’, an essay that examines fan forums dedicated to the discussion of slash fiction, and which originally appeared in Theorising Fandom: Fans, Subculture and Identity (1998), follows. This is one of Jenkins’ first attempts at forging a dialogue with the fan community, growing as it did out of the author’s frustration with ‘academics who had little or no exposure to the fan community itself (who were) writing increasingly inaccurate descriptions of fan practices and perspectives’ (p.61).
If you don’t know what slash fiction is, think Kirk/Spock.
What is it with that, anyway? Just wondering…
Can I heartily commend this as an introduction to the genre, as well as a proof positive that the LP collective really has nothing to complain about when it comes to comment trolls…
(PS It’s long, but well worth the effort).
For the entertainment of the multitudes at a Tolkien message board I use to visit, I wrote some spoof fan-fiction of the slash type. So of course I had to read some to get the flavour of it.
The attraction as far as I can gather is the thought of two hot males, usually of the variety loved by young women (Frodo and Sam) getting it on. There are often usually mild S & M elements in it and some weird combinations. It’s not limited to Tolkien but can encompass Star Wars, Harry Potter etc.
There is also lesbian slash, and interspecies slash.
I won’t link to any…might be too hot for some
But then again according to social mores, heterosexual women are not supposed to think about sex unless it’s for having babies, are we…:P
OK in keeping with LP’s reputation as a scholarly and serious site for thoughtful discussions of major issues, (and to give Kim an idea of the flavour), I give you…
Crossbench Slash
Clutching Kev to manly bosom
Hockey heaved a sigh
“We must part, my little cherub
Quick before I cry”
Now that Kev was in the Lodge
They could no longer meet
They must pretend they’re bitter foes
Or Hockey’d lose his seat
Tony Abbott was so sad
That he no longer could
Swoon at the feet of Julia sweet
He’d be celibate for good
But he still had Eric Abetz to ply
With offers too good to refuse
After all Tony’s title was “Whip”
Something he loved to use
Alexander pouted, put out was he
The biggest tart of all
No longer was he on the beat
He’s generous…he loves all
He put his sexy hose away
“Another time” he sighed
Refusing a wink from Sophie M
It was as if he’d died
Swanny gazed at Malcolm T
Unzipped his interest rate figure
All his ordinaries went up
And made his deficits quiver
I know what slash fiction is, sorcerer. My question was what’s the appeal?
It’s in the title of the essay