I feel like I'm reading Hollanov differently than 99% of this fandom.
Firstly the gendering of either of them is annoying enough. They're both jocks, to me they work because they are equals and they present to each other equally. Yes there's the sub/dom undertones of their sex play but that doesn't mean Ilya is dominant over Shane in any other way, if you ask me not really in the sex either but that's another thought
And I'm not surprised they get gendered, the world is obsessed with boxes and putting gay couples (fictional or not) into 'one man, one woman'. But if we insist on doing it, why are we doing it all wrong!
Shane always getting feminised. Shane ALWAYS being the one getting pregnant in MPreg fics. Shane always being woobified as the massively insecure, vulnerable, helpless one who needs Ilya to protect him. Shane wearing lingerie or makeup for Ilya. All feel so wrong to me!
I mean did we watch the same show or read the same books. If Mpreg were possible Ilya would for sure be the first one pregnant. That man has maternal instinct flashing over his head like a neon sign. And I'm well aboard the Shane, particularly a professionally still active Shane, would abort that foetus faster than you can say "Fuck, Hollander" train. Shane being the one going all babygirl in lingerie etc, I mean come on the man lived sports gear most of his adult life. It took a crisis in his sexual identity to get him to hire a stylist and even then he gave us 21st Century Sonny Crockett. Now Ilya the totally chaotic bisexual bombshell that he is, is an absolute clothes horse and would love playing with androgyny/femininity especially when they're out and he feels safe enough to let go of his I'm an asshole meathead persona... off the ice. And you know he's bringing that energy into the bedroom, and Shane goes feral for it. And don't even get me started on Shane's woobification he is the no. 1 player in the NHL (MLH) and has been for over a decade in TLG. You don't get there without some level of self belief. Yes he has obvious pressures and insecurities, particularly around his sexuality but that doesn't mean he's helpless and in need of protection. And yes he's autistic and struggles with social cues, but that doesn't mean he's totally clueless without Ilya (or his mom) to protect him. And yea Ilya is loud and in your face and confident, but you barely need to scratch the surface to see beneath that facade. And that man is Shane's baby, literally the instant they say I love you Ilya is being protectively cradled by Shane. They know or learn each others insecurities/weaknesses and do their best to protect each other - Ilya "you are brave" or Shane "tell me how you feel in Russian".
I mean don't get me wrong, I love all you fic writers for putting your beautifulness into the world for free and on your own time. And I positively fizz with glee when I find a gem that I feel get's it right and has them both show up equally. Especially when Shane is kicking ass either literally or figuratively. But it feels like for every 10 fics I start 9 of them force them into this Shane woman, Ilya man construct and it drives me insane, especially when a fic starts off promising. Now I do just stop reading when I get that vibe, no need for nasty comments, but man I have abandoned a lot of fics in this fandom because of it. Anyway Ao3 is down, got me feeling cranky, so here's my rant and unsolicited opinion.
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