[ SECRET POST #4428 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #4428 ⌋

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

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 41 secrets from Secret Submission Post #634.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[fscom]

05. https://i.imgur.com/NF9K9BG.png

[(Anonymous)]

This is not a type of AU I can get into at all. When I read a historical AU, the period-typical values - and seeing how the characters navigate those values - is a big part of what it's about for me.

But obviously there's nothing wrong with just using the historical trappings without the values, and I can definitely understand why that appeals to some people.

[(Anonymous)]

Kinda same for me. If I want a historical fic then the period-typical values are part of the history.

If I want gay ships everywhere and nobody caring, it's time for an AU with similar levels of tech set in a world with similar historical and cultural backdrop, without it having to be exactly the real world.

That's what it's gonna be anyway, so why insist that it's not?

[sparklywalls]

Same. This would be one of those historical inaccuracies as per my response to yesterday's secret that might bother me a little. Because I too would like to see how people navigate that (no doubt) hostile situation.

But at the same time I'm cool with it if that's what people enjoy.

As anon below says though it doesn't have to be our world. You could make it not quite our historical world in some way and it avoids any of the "why isn't this an issue?" questions.

[(Anonymous)]

I totally agree that seeing characters navigate different historical values and periods and social mores is one of the interesting things about historical AUs! But, like, period-typical values include things other than views on homosexuality, and for me, those particular values are some of the less interesting and entertaining ones to see people navigate.

[(Anonymous)]

Same. I'll accept some anachronism in historical work, but only up until a point. My interest lies in the differences and IMO it's a little boring if everything is the same as a contemporary setting.

[(Anonymous)]

I really noticed this when watching a recent netflix show--they had a Vietnam flashback with a m/m romance, like they were dancing together on the dance floor.... And I don't think that sort of openness was historically accurate?? It really threw me out of the story.

[(Anonymous)]

I mean I'm pretty sure they had more to worry about in Vietnam than two soldiers doing some minor flirt-dancing in a club and then sneaking off to a corner to make-out. I know the scene you're talking about and it didn't seem like it /would/ be a big deal. Plus, like...his perspective was a little skewed anyway.

[(Anonymous)]

there were women right with them that they were also dancing with, to be fair, and when they kissed, it was behind a (albeit beaded) curtain, alone.

[popkin16]

I'm with you, OP. While I enjoy reading about my ships navigating the values of the time, it's also fun to just read about them falling in love.

Pride and Prejudice is a great example. It was a het couple, but they still had reasons they didn't get together right away. I love a good historical AU where the couple can't be together for reasons OTHER than they're gay.

[philstar22]

I'm with you, OP. Sometimes I want realism in my gay fics, but sometimes I just want two gay people being happy together without having to remember about homphobia.

[(Anonymous)]

+1 Amen to that

[(Anonymous)]

I agree with you on that.

100% nothing wrong with that kind of story.

I just don't think it's accurate, if that's what the story will be, to call it historical fiction.

[(Anonymous)]

Honestly, if straight people get to have all the historical fiction they could ever want and (generally) don't have to deal with bigotry, hatred, and violence, I don't see why we can't have the same. I live in reality. I know how the real world is and was. I'd just like to read a story where it ISN'T like that, you know?

[(Anonymous)]

Exactly!!!

[(Anonymous)]

T H I S

THANK YOU

[(Anonymous)]

That's a great point.

Can't we just have a romance without people having to worry about being arrested? Jesus.

[(Anonymous)]

Me too! But I'd not consider it to be historical fiction because there is no known historical period where none of these things are a problem for anyone.

[(Anonymous)]

If every single character around applauded when guys A and B publically kissed and confessed their love, I might not be able to suspend my disbelief, yes.

If guys A and B break up/never get together in the end and enter heterosexual marriages, or if either A or B frickin dies? Fuck that shit, man. Gimme all the ahistorical historical AUs, I read A/B fics because I want this ship to get together. If I wanted a gay love story that ends in tragedy I'd have a shitton of published books/movies/etc to choose from.

[(Anonymous)]

If I wanted to deal with homophobia, I'd step outside, not read a fic or a book. And it does tell me that person complaining that "then it's not historical fiction!" is privileged by either being straight or living in a very, very liberal area.

[catdetective]

MMMMMMM yes.

I mean I like any historical AU, but sometimes I just want that good escapism.

I like to write about dodging period-typical values sometimes for my own kind of cathartic reasons, and then I like to read about easy acceptance. (although given some of my fandoms, it's not so much historical AU as period piece, in which case I still like an AU where homosexuality is accepted and NO REASON NEEDS TO BE GIVEN)

[(Anonymous)]

I do love this type of AU as long as it makes sense within the narrative that the author has set up. It does irritate me when you've got all the other sexist and gender essentialist preconceptions of a given era, but then one of your characters is like, "I can never marry you, m'lady, for you see, I love the cocks," and everyone's like, "Well, if that is how you roll, m'lord. Now let us both gape in horror at this woman who dares to wear trousers in our midst!"

[(Anonymous)]

I don't think most of human history is as straight as tv would have you believe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_homosexuality

[(Anonymous)]

But-it's-not-historical-fiction! anon - do call it "historical-costume fiction" and let the whole thing go, pls?

[(Anonymous)]

The entire threads of conversation for this secret are so depressing tbh. I fucking hate that society has been and continues to be so shit to minorities, can we just reset humanity and try again, but better this time?