been thinking about some discourse/complaints/criticisms i've seem of sevika fics circulating (most aren't new and thats honestly tragic) and thought i'd give my opinion.
one criticism i've seem repetitively (and one I do agree with from time to time) is the way some writers characterise sevika borders or crosses into fetishization.
before having a discussion around 'fetishization' i first have to define it. fetishization is the act of objectifying someone to a singular trait, characteristic, or identity and treating them as an object of desire, rather than seeing their full humanity.
this is a very serious discussion to be had and cannot be brushed under the rug with 'write your own' or 'dont like don't read'. it might not be noticable to all but fandom racism exists. white supremacy affects everything to exist within our world. and one way it applies in fandom is suppressing and silencing the voices of those affected by racism to appease thoer counterparts who just want to do what they want without criticism/backlash. valueing white comfort over anything else.
in terms of masculine lesbians, there is a very real stereotype of being "scary", "dominant", "aggressive", "rejection of femininity" and "traditionally masculine". it's sometimes to the point where these traits become internalized, especially within the stud community. many studs, and by extension dark skinned masc lesbians, feel both a internal and external pressure to present and behave in a specific way. there's pressure to "act hard" and reject anything that they perceived as too feminine out of fear of being invalidated. on the other side of the coin there's black femmes (AMBESSA!!!) being called studs but that deserves its own full conversation.
amd when this stereotype is repetitively flung onto sevika, especially without any subtextual commentaries (ones I try to include in my writing because that is the lens in which I see the world), it reads as fetishization.
and i do in a way understand where this characterization of sevika comes from. in canon she's ruthless, tough, sensible, chooses offensive measures rather than defensive ones, empathetic, straightforward. but to immediately translate this personality into a sadist that disregards safe words just seems to disregard any other possible dynamic.
personality is not an inherent indicator of sexual desires or dynamics. the possibilities are honestly endless. submissive sevika who needs to feel safe and taken care of because she's been so let down and disappointed in her life by everyone else. dominant sevika who needs to feel trusted by her submissive because she doesn't trust in herself. submissive sevika that is learning to let go of her need to control what's going to happen.
point is when folks are seeing the same cut and dry 'dominant sevika that needs to relieve her stress by using reader' it just doesn't read like exploration of the character like the above examples.
and i will say something in defense of those fics. they're allowed to exist and no one has the right to take that from our dear writers. sometimes fiction is just used as a way to explore and navigate sexuality and kink and the character is merely the car. not every fic has to be a deep dive into sevika's wants, needs, or suppressed desires. this is not an insult to other writers capabilities but not all of us have the want or ability to write a character analysis through smut. not all writers have the same lens that i do.
and not everyone who feels the way i do will have the patience or ability to articulate their feelings the way i am now. i do want to clarify that this isn't a "you need to change how you're writing" post but rather a "not every complaint is coming from someone sitting on a high horse". fiction is a reflection of reality and i simply wanted to point out the reality that some writers have inadvertently reflected in their fics.
all in all, i'll say the same things i've said on here before. don't go looking for something in places you're not going to find it. find a writer that does characterize sevika in a way you enjoy. they're out there, trust me. every writer, myself included, has infinite space to improve. i know how disheartening is feels to navigate fandom when the attitude is "this is just how it is. it's your responsibility to block out things you don't like" when we've been raised in a "see something, say something" world. if anything, the best attitude is "pick your battles" because this is the internet and people here have nothing but time to fight. conserve your energy, twin. be familiar with the block button.
this is hardly the first time someone's talked about the characterization of sevika in fanfiction and it obviously will not be the last. this is simply a opportunity to listen to a black masculine lesbian's voice on the matter.
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