Neil in response to Dana:
No, what I meant was that his sexual proclivities bear no relation to his actions as a revolutionary. Although there are scenarios in which one
could
argue that his sexuality may have directed him towards becoming a revolutionary in the first place, a man blowing things up is a man blowing things up, regardless of whether he prefers to ... [description of
possible sexual activities deleted]
As I'm sure you're aware, Neil, there's been at least some fanfic written about whether the accusations of paedophilia against Blake reduced his popular support or prevented other resistance groups from allying with Blake's group. If one assumes that the Federation discourages homosexuality -- which I personally consider a very likely possibility -- then Blake's sexual orientation again might be important in terms of limiting popular support for his political cause.
I'd hate to get back in the US politics rant, but as a (politically naive) outsider, it seems to me that Clinton would be a case in point -- a leader with charisma and at least some good policies, discussion of whose merits currently appears to be limited to his sexual proclivities.
Well, I'm afraid tastes differ. And who's to say that one's is any better than another's? If you want to read B7 as a gay soap opera (to quote from an earlier post of yours) then fine, do so. I can't stop you and it would be unreasonable of me to want to do so*. But that doesn't mean that B7
*is*
a gay soap opera, merely that you choose to read it as such. Personally I would consider calling the show a 'soap opera' to be an unconscionable insult to the series. And if you choose to blind yourself to the wider and - IMO - more interesting possibilities opened up by relegating sex to the margins of the action, then that's your loss.
I feel I ought to stand up in support of Dana's exceptionally wide-ranging B7 fiction output, which certainly doesn't all fall into the gay soap opera genre. Unfortunately I can't give examples without revealing her pseud.
Tavia
Tavia said:
I'd hate to get back in the US politics rant, but as a (politically naive) outsider, it seems to me that Clinton would be a case in point -- a leader with charisma and at least some good policies, discussion of whose merits currently appears to be limited to his sexual proclivities.
Well, Clinton cleverly managed to shift the discussion to his personal honesty and integrity in office.
I feel I ought to stand up in support of Dana's exceptionally wide-ranging B7 fiction output, which certainly doesn't all fall into the gay soap
opera
genre. Unfortunately I can't give examples without revealing her pseud.
Tavia: thank you for the support and also for being conscientious about protecting pseuds. Although some pseuds really are secret because of potential harm to the writer (think of the havoc that would be caused if it were well known that EmmaPeel is actually a highly placed official in the Servalan administration, for instance!) I am not a particularly respectable person and therefore it is not a secret that anyone who wants to sample my fiction writing can do so by looking under the name of Executrix... (and can do so by buying a copy of ttba, BTW). I've been writing fanfic for about a year now, and I would assign my entire output to "queer resistant readings," even though not ALL of it is soap opera (gay or otherwise).
-(Y)
Tavia:
As I'm sure you're aware, Neil, there's been at least some fanfic written about whether the accusations of paedophilia against Blake reduced his popular support or prevented other resistance groups from allying with Blake's group.
In both SLD and Hostage, it is stated that Blake's crusade, officially, does not exist. If as far as everyone's concerned Blake's on Cygnus Alpha, how would the charges against him be relevant in terms of popular support?
And as far as other rebels are concerned, the Federation seems to favour a policy of information control rather than counter-propaganda--and it's unlikely that they'd believe the Federation in the first place.
Shane
"Avon, you were my only friend..." --Blake
From: Tavia tavia@btinternet.com
No, what I meant was that his sexual proclivities bear no relation to his actions as a revolutionary
As I'm sure you're aware, Neil, there's been at least some fanfic written about whether the accusations of paedophilia against Blake reduced his popular support or prevented other resistance groups from allying with Blake's group.
True. But that doesn't stop him blowing things up, and while he is engaged in the act of blowing things up his sexual preferences become irrelevant.
I feel I ought to stand up in support of Dana's exceptionally wide-ranging B7 fiction output, which certainly doesn't all fall into the gay soap
opera
genre. Unfortunately I can't give examples without revealing her pseud.
Like I said, Dana's a wind-up merchant, and she knows exactly where in my back to put the key.
Neil
-
Dana Shilling -
littles＠lycos.co.uk -
Neil Faulkner -
Tavia