fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #3927 ]

[ SECRET POST #3927 ]

⌈ Secret Post #3927 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

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A) For fanfic where characters are straight in the canon (or at least everyone assumes they are) but gay or bi in the fic, do you prefer if there's some sort of explanation (he always knew he was gay/bi but was in denial, or was only into girls until meeting a certain guy or something), or that in the universe of that fic, he's always been gay/bi and there's no explanation?

B) Also, in a fic where a character who is out as gay in canon gets with a guy who's straight in canon (and straight in the fic, or at least he believed he was up until this point), do you think it has to be the 'straight' one who makes the first move? My friend thinks if it's the canon gay one, it's "predatory" and he's taking advantage of the other guy, but I don't know if I agree with that.

Thoughts?

A: It doesn't really matter. I guess a slight preference for not even bothering to explain it but it doesn't make a big difference.

B: I don't think it makes any difference which character initiates it, and tbh the concept of the predatory gay is maybe a little homophobic itself? that seems problematic? am I overreading here?

A) I'm fine with either, though I think I tend to like the "he always knew he was gay/bi but was in denial, or was only into girls until meeting a certain guy or something" version somewhat more.

B) I don't think it has to be the straight character who makes the first move, though it can feel predatory if the gay character is depicted as having all the control in the situation and as not respecting the previously-believed-to-be-straight character's feelings and comfort level. For example, I'm the comm's resident Johnlock shipper, and I've read some fics where Sherlock basically gets in John's head and makes him really uncomfortable and aggressively invades his personal space and pressures him to admit he wants Sherlock. And obviously that does feel very predatory, and is, for me, a big squick. But if the gay character is coming onto the other character in a respectful, non-predatory way, then no, I think it's totally fine.

A) I'm fine with "I've never felt this way about a man before!" I don't really care, just make me believe that no matter how much of a ladies man he's been in canon he's really into this guy's dick now.

B) Unless the canon gay guy is going "FU FU FU, I WILL SHOW THIS STRAIGHT MAN THE WILES OF MY UNFAIR SEX AND NEVER AGAIN A VAGINA HE WILL SEE!! /background lightning", I don't buy it.

DA

lmaooo chuckle chuckle chuckle

Someone needs to make a fic with this line.

A) I don't care too much, but I prefer the canon sexuality to be addressed. Especially if there are previous canon ships that had impact on the character, I'd prefer those not be handwaved away. Even if it's as non-drama as 'they dated the characters they dated in canon and didn't realize they were bi and are surprised to find a guy they find attractive'. As long as it's not some guy who was only into girls and said he's straight in canon, suddenly being all 'oh hey a dick, I suddenly and inexplicably like that, also what girlfriends? no girlfriends, you're the girlfriend'

B) I don't think it has to be anything, and not all 'first moves' are sexual or predatory.

A: I actually prefer it if there isn't an explanation. It's fic, so one isn't needed!

B: No. That's kind of silly of her to think that!

A) Mostly for me it tends to be down to the character themselves and what would fit best to them. Like I can't say I'd buy a guy who is 100% a ladies man in canon being suddenly all about dick in fanfic, denial or not really realizing it would make more sense to me tbh. That's just me though.

B) Unless the gay character is trying to force the presumably straight guy into being with him, then no, there is nothing wrong with the gay-dude making the first move.

A: Depends on the character and the circumstances. Harry Potter wanting to bang a dude doesn't need an explanation because our sample size of people he's attracted to is so small and inconsistent (he likes Ginny and Cho, but also goes on about how handsome Charlie Weasley is and gets obsessed with the Half Blood Prince). Homer Simpson is canonically shown to be attracted to women and is uncomfortable with the idea of gayness, so if you're going to write a fic where he runs off into the sunset with Ned Flanders you'd best address wtf is up with all that. I also prefer it if canonical relationships either never happened at all (ie Thorki where Thor and Jane never actually dated) or else if it's addressed in some way (despite all they'd been through together, Cloud and Tifa just didn't fit).

B: No, not at all. I don't see how either one is predatory. If anything, I could argue that it's "predatory" for the straight guy to make the first move, since in most of those stories it's a case of the gay dude pining for the straight dude, and the straight dude could be seen as taking advantage of the gay guy.

oink oink oink oink oink oink

A) I only address it if one of the characters is a stereotypical ladies' man, because honest to god when they're all over women in canon you kinda gotta mention that there's some kind of reason why they make this exception.

B) lmfao predatory get out of here with that bullshit. irl I've seen far more straight-leaning bi people need a nudge to act on that bi impulse, I wouldn't bat an eye at it happening in fic.

I have a preference for "that felt good, let's see where this takes us" as opposed to OMG OUR RELATIONSHIP WILL NEVER BE THE SAME NOW

A) I'm cool with either way, although which may be more appropriate varies a bit based on the character. For example, someone above mentioned Johnlock: I think there's a lot of room to imagine Sherlock having whatever sexuality you want him to have, so I require no explanation there. John has clearly stated he's not gay, so explaining that one a bit may be warranted. Is he not gay... because he's bi? Is he closeted? In denial? Just hasn't yet realized how much he likes dick? It's not a requirement, though. If you just want to write a story where John is and always was gay/bi that's totally fine. It won't make me backbutton.

2) Like someone else said, romantic advances don't need to be predatory. It's not imossible to write a story where the "straight" one is being predatory. I'd rather no one is being pressured or coerced, but I have no preference for who makes the first move, if it's not one of those things where they just sort of fall together.

1. I tend to prefer no explanation and generally no mention of canon het relationships unless they had an unavoidable effect on canon. (In Saiyuki with Hakkai I could understand keeping his sister-wife's death. But you could always just have her his sister instead.) But as a general rule I'm reading slash to read slash. If I wanted canon het I'd go to the canon. It's like if I click on a coffeeshop-AU I don't expect an author explanation for why Frodo is running a coffee shop in Moderntown USA.

2. I'd go with whoever feels more likely to make the first move. Like I could see it being harder to explain an out character being confidant that a closeted character is going to happily accept being asked out, but just confessing feelings or hoping for yes but expecting no? That wouldn't seem weird at all. To me predatory behavior implies knowingly taking advantage of a power imbalance, and I can't wrap my head around anything inherently imbalanced about a gay character over a 'straight' character.

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[ SECRET POST #3927 ]

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