Kind of using your post to just dump my own thoughts around this here but I do agree with you.
The problem for me is that both sides of the argument are invariably coming close to requesting censorship of the other whether they mean to or not.
I completely get why those who do have disability/rape/assault/abuse issues raised a warning flag and requested those taking part in the bingo consider that these are real things and should be treated sensitively (research preferred before tackling, realism in portrayal). As a disabled person and as a rape victim myself I think raising a warning flag is a good thing. What I disagree with is the idea that is a step on from that which is: if this is not the approach ultimately taken by the author, if someone does want to just use h/c as "magic healing sex cures all," that they shouldn't write the fic.
Equally, while I agree warnings are required and should be used by readers to make informed choices about what they read, like you, the whole "don't like, don't read" idea if a generic warning is given, I think is an equally disingenous reply in the debate.
I think it should more accurately be "if the warning suggests this fic may affect you negatively because of certain triggers, please don't read but if you can deal with the topic I accept that feedback may be concrit in nature."
Writing is a subjective creative medium and there is the small matter of free speech. If someone wants to use an experience of disability for the purposes of their OTP having sex: it's their fic. They can determine what they want the fic to say or not say about disability.
However, in having this freedom the author then needs to respect that I as a reader have an equal right to read them (especially if they've posted in a public forum) and critique them and say that the fic seems to lack research into the topic, lacks sensitivity, or that I disagree/dislike with the way they handled disability within their fic.
Frankly the same thing should apply to issues on race that have also appeared in the SPN fandom of late. A writer is entitled to write the most bigoted, tasteless piece of fanfic they wish. They should just note that their readers are equally entitled to critique it as the most bigoted tasteless piece of fanfic ever written.
Fandom encouraging thought in writers around how they tackle topics of race and hurt/comfort is great, and hopefully does make people sit up and think. But fandom making demands about what people should write - or read - is infringing on civil liberties - and isn't fandom for those?
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carisma_sensei
Warning: minor mention of some triggery stuff
Date: 2010-06-17 03:34 pm (UTC)Kind of using your post to just dump my own thoughts around this here but I do agree with you.
The problem for me is that both sides of the argument are invariably coming close to requesting censorship of the other whether they mean to or not.
I completely get why those who do have disability/rape/assault/abuse issues raised a warning flag and requested those taking part in the bingo consider that these are real things and should be treated sensitively (research preferred before tackling, realism in portrayal). As a disabled person and as a rape victim myself I think raising a warning flag is a good thing. What I disagree with is the idea that is a step on from that which is: if this is not the approach ultimately taken by the author, if someone does want to just use h/c as "magic healing sex cures all," that they shouldn't write the fic.
Equally, while I agree warnings are required and should be used by readers to make informed choices about what they read, like you, the whole "don't like, don't read" idea if a generic warning is given, I think is an equally disingenous reply in the debate.
I think it should more accurately be "if the warning suggests this fic may affect you negatively because of certain triggers, please don't read but if you can deal with the topic I accept that feedback may be concrit in nature."
Writing is a subjective creative medium and there is the small matter of free speech. If someone wants to use an experience of disability for the purposes of their OTP having sex: it's their fic. They can determine what they want the fic to say or not say about disability.
However, in having this freedom the author then needs to respect that I as a reader have an equal right to read them (especially if they've posted in a public forum) and critique them and say that the fic seems to lack research into the topic, lacks sensitivity, or that I disagree/dislike with the way they handled disability within their fic.
Frankly the same thing should apply to issues on race that have also appeared in the SPN fandom of late. A writer is entitled to write the most bigoted, tasteless piece of fanfic they wish. They should just note that their readers are equally entitled to critique it as the most bigoted tasteless piece of fanfic ever written.
Fandom encouraging thought in writers around how they tackle topics of race and hurt/comfort is great, and hopefully does make people sit up and think. But fandom making demands about what people should write - or read - is infringing on civil liberties - and isn't fandom for those?