Slash fanfiction, homosexuality, and gender

Essay by depeche_girl June 2006

download word file, 4 pages 3.0

Many people may wonder about my slash fanfiction pieces and my thoughts on homosexuality. I am an avid supporter of gay rights, and I cannot put it in a clearer manner. Slash fanfiction deals with male homosexuality. Whilst there are slash fanfiction that deals with lesbianism, eititled "fem slash", it is quite rare. However, slash fanfiction places little to no importance on heterosexual relationships or lesbian relationships. The vast majority of slash stories I've encountered hardly have any female characters. Even when women do appear, they play trivial roles. I do not view slash fanfiction as misogynistic, however. Despite the fact that the characters are all male in my slash stories, the only aspect of them that is solely "male", is their biological gender. In my mind, emotionally and mentally speaking, I believe that all humans are intrinsically androgynous. Hence, the male characters I write are neither male nor female; they are both, on an emotional and mental level.

Gender transcends a person's biological gender and becomes more convoluted than a person's genetical makeup. This belief that I have is the reason why I question such narrow notions of gender that some people have in society. However, my point is to not force upon a genderless society, with no boundaries separating gender. Instead, I think that whilst there are distinctions for each gender, (as a whole; I'm not referring to a person's biological gender here) I believe that the boundaries of each gender are more fluid and flexible. Hence, gender isn't something that is rigid; it is highly flexible and bendable. When a woman wears trousers, no one assumes anything about her gender identity or sexuality. Yet, when a man wears a dress, sometimes people will speculate about his gender identity or sexuality. Not only is this somewhat of...