I think my stance on dark, problematique content in fanworks should be fairly obvious to anyone who follows me or reads my fic. But just in case, here is my Official Stance for the record.
If you create or consume fanworks featuring dark subjects such as - but not restricted to - rape, sexual violence, and abuse, weâre friends. I donât need to know why you engage with that content. I donât need to see your survivor credentials. Itâs none of my business if you use fanworks to process your own trauma, or to play out sexual fantasies, or for whatever other reason. As long as you tag your content appropriately so that people can make an informed decision about whether they want to engage with it, weâre good.
If you do not create or consume fanworks featuring dark subjects, but respect other peopleâs right to do so, weâre friends. I donât need to know why you donât engage with that content. Your preferences and why you have them are none of my business. Weâre good.
If you shame, name call, or otherwise attack people who enjoy fanworks featuring dark subjects, we are not friends. I donât care why you think itâs bad. I donât care if you believe youâre morally correct and that people who enjoy that content are retraumatizing themselves or encouraging real world abuse. Youâre wrong, but thatâs not the point. The point is that nobody in the history of humanity has ever changed someoneâs point of view through attacking them. All you are doing is making yourself feel righteous by hurting and scaring people.
Corollary to the above: if you dismiss or deride people who donât enjoy dark fanworks, claim they are immature, or lump them in with antis, we are not friends. Grow the fuck up.
If you are an anti, we are not friends.
Iâm not going to demand that you block me, because itâs my job to curate my own fandom experience. Feel free to block me if you want to, or donât, or keep following me so you can read my cute fluff fic while thinking me and my friends are disgusting, you fucking hypocrite. Itâs no skin off my nose.
Fiction is not reality. Stop attacking real people to defend fictional characters, and stop pretending youâre anything other than puritans in woke clothing.
