You make some interesting points, but I think that our perspectives are different, because in many of my fandoms, bisexual characters seem to be more common than heterosexual or homosexual ones. This might be because of heterosexual relationships in the canon, and better slash writers will avoid being inconsistent with what canon shows - i.e., that the character actually cares for the opposite-sex partner quite deeply.
Anyway, I mostly wanted to comment on this -
I also wonder if maybe there shouldn't be a label for bisexual characters and/or stories?
I would be confused by this label. I interpret "slash" and "het" as describing the relationship that the story is focused on, rather than describing the characters' sexualities. I suspect this is also how most other people in fandom interpret it, given the plethora of stories about a bisexual man involved with another man labeled "slash." My first thought if I see a label for bisexuality is that there is a threesome.
Meaning, if Cyclops and Wolverine are said to be bisexual in the fic, there should be some evidence to support that claim within the fic itself.
I disagree with this. It would be nice for bisexual characters to sometimes show that they are attracted to both genders, but I think seeing it as a requirement marks bisexuality out as something that has to be supported; it makes homosexual the default assumption in slash stories.
Where I'm coming from: I'm bisexual, but I tend to read mostly slash.
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branchandroot
(here via metafandom)
Date: 2009-04-17 01:51 am (UTC)Anyway, I mostly wanted to comment on this -
I also wonder if maybe there shouldn't be a label for bisexual characters and/or stories?
I would be confused by this label. I interpret "slash" and "het" as describing the relationship that the story is focused on, rather than describing the characters' sexualities. I suspect this is also how most other people in fandom interpret it, given the plethora of stories about a bisexual man involved with another man labeled "slash." My first thought if I see a label for bisexuality is that there is a threesome.
Meaning, if Cyclops and Wolverine are said to be bisexual in the fic, there should be some evidence to support that claim within the fic itself.
I disagree with this. It would be nice for bisexual characters to sometimes show that they are attracted to both genders, but I think seeing it as a requirement marks bisexuality out as something that has to be supported; it makes homosexual the default assumption in slash stories.
Where I'm coming from: I'm bisexual, but I tend to read mostly slash.