Alison said:
Although I put myself on the 'pro-slash' side, I do think this is an issue that slash fans ought to consider. I can imagine (let us say) a Native American objecting to 'Cowboys and Indians' stories (or those new age
books
which present travesties of native american religious practice etc.).
But I'd say that these are quite different issues--I'd think it's far worse for someone to write about you as a mindless savage whose extermination is to be applauded than to be smarmed over by some nitwit member of "The Tribe Called Wannabe." I bet in some cases slashwriters have at least a bit of wannabe feeling about gay men, and it certainly would be wonderful to have access to a group of attractive and uninhibited partners even if we have to invent them ourselves.
And there are hoards of other examples of people objecting to the inaccurate depiction of their lifestyles by outsiders. I myself object (vocally and regularly :-) to the distortion of working class life by patronising middle-class people.
1, Yes, there should be more opportunities for working-class writers 2. Maybe middle-class people will learn something from dialogue with working-class people who can explain to them exactly how they got it wrong 3. ...which would never occur if middle-class writers stuck to "tennis, anyone?" subject matter. I don't think there's anything contemptible about an attempt to use fiction to understand someone with quite different experiences--although one reason the attempt fails is the writer's inability to overcome her own prejudices.
-(Y)