Het. Slash. Opinions. Assumptions. Etc.
Everyone has their preferences. Everyone has their style of writing. Everyone has their opinions. That- we're all entitled to.
Most Mibbians, as it seems, love slash. Some to the point where it's slightly obsessive, but that's not really my point here. Some like het, while others like both, whether it be fanfiction or original.
Then there are those that get so, so mad when someone insults slash, in any shape or form... and yet, they think it's okay to insult het. The most common things I've heard are:
I find female characters to be annoying.
Erh, how so? The fact that they have a vagina? If not, what? Their personality? Any character could be annoying. Their gender really doesn't play a role in that. The writer would happen to be the one creating the character's personality. Male or female.
I find het gross.
Okay, first off- you wouldn't want someone saying 'slash is gross', so why is it you think it's okay to say het is? If you just don't like it- fine. Don't insult it and then get mad when someone insults what you like.
Then there's the fact that if you're a straight female, you finding straight sex could cause problems for you later on in life....
I think writing/reading about sex with myself and a rock star is disrespecful.
Um, and writing/reading about them having sex with their friends and/or family members when they're married and straight isn't? Let's face it- lust is lust. If you think about them having sex with anyone, you've crossed the same line as if thinking of it with yourself. You think it's sexy, no? That my friend, is lust. Same. exact. thing.
Het is always full of cliches and/or badly written.
Again, this all depends on your author. If the story is like that- it's not because the main character doesn't have a penis. It's because the author is not creative or just can't write. It has nothing to do with gender of the characters.
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There are more, but I won't get into them or it could take me quite a while.
Before you comment:
I do not have a problem with slash. No, I don't like it. I'm just sick of seeing het being bashed so horribly when the same people doing such get so upset when slash is treated that way.
If you like slash and hate het- fine. If you like both- fine. Neither? That's your right.
Just don't insult what others like, if you don't like seeing your fandom/pairing/etc insulted. You're just as guilty.
Most Mibbians, as it seems, love slash. Some to the point where it's slightly obsessive, but that's not really my point here. Some like het, while others like both, whether it be fanfiction or original.
Then there are those that get so, so mad when someone insults slash, in any shape or form... and yet, they think it's okay to insult het. The most common things I've heard are:
I find female characters to be annoying.
Erh, how so? The fact that they have a vagina? If not, what? Their personality? Any character could be annoying. Their gender really doesn't play a role in that. The writer would happen to be the one creating the character's personality. Male or female.
I find het gross.
Okay, first off- you wouldn't want someone saying 'slash is gross', so why is it you think it's okay to say het is? If you just don't like it- fine. Don't insult it and then get mad when someone insults what you like.
Then there's the fact that if you're a straight female, you finding straight sex could cause problems for you later on in life....
I think writing/reading about sex with myself and a rock star is disrespecful.
Um, and writing/reading about them having sex with their friends and/or family members when they're married and straight isn't? Let's face it- lust is lust. If you think about them having sex with anyone, you've crossed the same line as if thinking of it with yourself. You think it's sexy, no? That my friend, is lust. Same. exact. thing.
Het is always full of cliches and/or badly written.
Again, this all depends on your author. If the story is like that- it's not because the main character doesn't have a penis. It's because the author is not creative or just can't write. It has nothing to do with gender of the characters.
-------------------
There are more, but I won't get into them or it could take me quite a while.
Before you comment:
I do not have a problem with slash. No, I don't like it. I'm just sick of seeing het being bashed so horribly when the same people doing such get so upset when slash is treated that way.
If you like slash and hate het- fine. If you like both- fine. Neither? That's your right.
Just don't insult what others like, if you don't like seeing your fandom/pairing/etc insulted. You're just as guilty.
Posted on July 20th, 2008 at 02:28am
I am so glad you've addressed this situation.
Really, I'm relieved to know someone feels the same way. :)
paperwings., July 24th, 2008 at 03:07:59am
I totally agree. It gets really annoying when people think that all straight female characters are annoying, and yet just because a character has a penis they're automatically the best thing ever. Egh.
Mad in the blood., July 22nd, 2008 at 01:50:36am
lol I don't care what people write.
I'm just sick of hearing het bashed by the same people that freak out when slash is insulted...
Geesecks., July 20th, 2008 at 05:18:29am
People will write what they want, so eh.
I don't really like slash, but don't mind it. The likelihood of me reading it is VERY slim, but I'm not going to bash it. Meh.
Jinxeh, July 20th, 2008 at 05:09:02am
I don't like het, for several reasons, but I don't bash it. People can like what they like.
If someone said, "Omfg slash is gross, ewwww, that's sick!" They'd probably be called homophobic or something.
But if people bash het, no one - well, not many people - seem to have anything against them for it. No one's going to acuse them of being... I don't know even know if there is a word for it. Heterophobic? o.O?
It's kind of double standards, which is stupid.
skank., July 20th, 2008 at 03:52:03am
I'm not fond of slash, myself. And I especially don't like incestual slash. I find that the worst. I do agree with you, though. I don't know why people feel the need to complain about the het. stories.
Although with your final point about het being filled with cliches and whatnot... that also goes both ways. Slash can be just as cliched, if not even more so.
:)
Two Dollar Bill, July 20th, 2008 at 03:36:49am
you're so right here.
it's almost another form of sexism, the point it's gotten to.
thanks for putting the argument across so well =]
susie x
Sister Asleep, July 20th, 2008 at 02:42:44am
Exactly. XD Thanks.
Geesecks., July 20th, 2008 at 02:38:13am
Yeah I never really got the whole het argument. I mean, I can't write het yet I think. I have one het story but it's focus more on the horror of the story not the relationship. I just have a problem with Het, for myself, because I don't think I can ever get the female character...like right. You know? I always feel like when I attempt it, the female character is always mary sueish and annoying. Which is why I personally stick to slash because I feel like I write male characters better than female.
But I totally agree, I think it is pretty hypocritical to be like "het is gross" when you wouldn't want someone to walk around saying "slash is gross." I know how offended I got when someone purposely commented my story and said "Ewww thats gross!! Boys going out is grosss!"
And the same basic rules apply, if you don't like slash don't read slash. If you don't like het, don't read het. I never got the point of insulting any genre.
Sardonic Grin, July 20th, 2008 at 02:34:33am
You've made a very good point with this. I agree completely. :)
Slaying the Dreamer, July 20th, 2008 at 02:34:08am