stellamoon (stellamoon) wrote,
@ 2008-01-17 20:09:00

You know that 5 questions meme? Well, here are the questions I got from

accioslash:

ETA: anyone who wants to be interviewed, just say so in a response, and I'll think of 5 questions for you!!

1. How do you think the people in your life (husband/kids/friends/co-workers) would react if they knew about your participation in slash fandom? I think I would be embarrassed for my husband to find out I was into slash. Fandom is ok, no big deal. Maybe just a little geeky. But I don't think he'd get the slash aspect of it. My kids are nosey and want to poke themselves into anything I do, so, I need to keep it away from them. And that's just because they are young, and impressionable, and I don't want them exposed to most of the fandom stuff I'm interested in. But I doubt they'd react badly to it. It's just that I need to keep it under wraps.

Now, for the rest of the family; parents, uncles, etc..... They would simply think I was a perverted freak! And I'm sure I'd get some scorn for it, and would be constantly having to defend myself. Just not worth it.

Co-workers? Are you kidding?? I work for a religious based non-profit organization!! There is absolutely no way they'd even ever talk to me again if they had any idea I was involved in slash fandom!

2. What do you think your participation in fandom will be like in 10 years? Wow, 10 years is a long time. I've been around for 5 years, now, and the only difference - well I guess it's a big difference - is that for a long time I was merely a lurker, and now I actively participate. I don't seem to be one of those who goes from fandom to fandom, so I doubt I'll do that. If I lose interest in Harry Potter, I'll probably just drift away from fandom in general. I love a lot of other things; LOtR, Pirates, Lost, Star Trek, etc.....I've just never been interested in any fandom works in those areas. I can't stand the thought of slashing any of them, either. I don't really know why. So, in 10 years? I have no idea if I'll still be in fandom. I like to think I will be.

3. Do you have any irrational biases/prejudices that you just can't seem to shake? What are they? Wow, that's an interesting question. I'm assuming you don't just mean in fandom, though all your other questions do pertain to fandom. Hmmm. Well, I have little tolerance or patience for people who aren't very smart. I try not to be mean, but I can feel it inside, you know what I mean?? Also,I have a very strong bias against Middle Easterners. Sorry, can't help it. I know it's wrong, and I certainly don't go around spouting off about it. But you did ask me to 'fess up.

Now, if you're talking about biases and prejudices in fandom....well, I only like HP fandom, and I'm totally against het pairings. Why?....I don't know. In fact, I really won't read anything other than Snarry or H/D, unless given a very compelling reason.

4. Is there a pairing/kink/fandom that you think would surprise people (any people, not necessarily fandom people who generally aren't surprised by anything) to discover you liked? If not, what is your bullet-proof kink? I don't know how surprising this will be, but there is one particular pairing that I'm extremely interested in....and don't know if there's even a fandom for it. I highly doubt it. Are you ready??..........It's Alexander the Great and Hephaestion. Hot, hot hot!! (I've read Mary Renault) I even have them as gay Sims characters.

5. Snarry or Drarry? You can't seriously expect me to choose, can you?? But thinking about it, I'm forced to try to figure out why I'm drawn to each one. With Harry and Draco, the rivalry and competitiveness, the class differences, the extreme personality differences....all seem to give a fiery dynamic to any relationship they might form. They can both very realistically be portrayed as aesthetically pleasing, and they're young and in the prime of their lives. There are so many different scenarios, an almost infinite number of storylines that can bring these two together. This was my first ship in fandom, and for awhile, it was the only thing worth reading for me. But then I discovered Snarry, and I see the two of them at odds in very similar ways. But the added bonus of Snape's extreme personality, the age difference, his role in the war - add a different dynamic to the mix. I like Snarry for the more mature outlook (in general) by artists/authors, as well as readers. So, ok, I gotta choose?...............Right now it would be Snarry. Mostly because I'm still reading very interesting Snarry stories, but lately, not a lot of good, new H/D has grabbed my attention.

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accioslash
2008-01-18 03:07 am UTC (link)

Oh, very thoughtful answers. Thank you!

I'm always fascinated by people in fandom who keep their participation to themselves. I initially wanted to say that I'm not good at keeping secrets, but really, that's completely untrue. I know how to tell just enough to make sure anything I really want to keep secret stays that way. But doesn't your family see you draw? I can't get a glass of water without someone checking on what I'm doing. I can't imagine trying to draw anything without a lot of "helpers." Perhaps I should tell them I'm cleaning. That would get them to clear out. ;D

I fully understand not wanting the kids involved. Your kids are what? 14 and 12ish? I kept my fandom activities under wraps when my daughter was that age. Some parents wouldn't, but it's an individual choice. I'm fairly permissive, but I still always decided what my daughter could access. It was my job as a parent to make those decisions and I didn't care who disapproved.

I always tend to push the envelope with employers. I worked for a very public agency (and I was in private practice but nobody cared what I did there) but the Director was a former priest and very conservative. He didn't care what laws he broke in terms of service provision. He openly discriminated against gays in particular. Fortunately we as a staff knew how to work around him. I didn't display slash art on the walls, but when I was single I went to a huge number of slash cons. I never bothered to hide where I was going and what I was buying, but I doubt it was public knowledge. I'm sure some people thought it was strange but it really was quite a non-issue. But I imagine a religious based non-profit organization would care a great deal.

I was monofannish for over 15 years and then I just started reading everything. I drift in and out of fandom, sometimes being inactive for a year or more. I still tend to participate in only one fandom at a time. And I agree that some are just fun to lurk in but don't inspire me to write or draw anything. Not even meta.

And, no, I didn't just mean prejudices/biases in fandom. I have some biases myself that I know I shouldn't have, but can't seem to shake. Glad to know it's not just me. ;D

Alexander the Great and Hephaestion

I just did a quick search:

http://www.camelotslash.com/Fic-Alexander-the-Great.html
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2274055/1/
http://myristica1.tripod.com/id48.html
http://reijamira.insanejournal.com/17810.html
http://delrion-atg.tripod.com/
http://www.bobdidit.org/write/classic.htm
http://www.camelotslash.com/recs/recs.html (lists websites and Yahoo groups)
http://reijamira.insanejournal.com/9041.html (recs fics including Snarry, Drarry, & SPN)

Oh, I really thought you started with Snarry and was slowly being lured into Drarry. That seems to be the case with most of the "snarry" people I know of who like both pairings. I could probably ship half a dozen pairings in HP, but I have a rule about one OTP per fandom. Perhaps if I ever tire of Snarry I'll change.

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stellamoon
2008-01-18 12:23 pm UTC (link)

Oh thank you for the Alexander links. I can't wait to give them a look.

Regarding my job....I've only been there a little over 2 months, now, so it's been very recently that I've had a chance to read the employee guidebook. Under "Grounds for dismissal", it says something to the effect that acting in a way not befitting a ### employee or in a way not in accordance with the ### core mission values while on ### grounds or while representing ### off grounds. Ok, that makes sense. But following that was the same thing, only vaguely worded to mean also outside of ### workplace or worktime. In other words, your personal life. Well, if they were to somehow see my "Shiver and Sigh" entry for Snarry holidays, for instance, and then fire me: I wouldn't be crushed. But I like my job, I really do. And I don't want to be the odd person, there, either. You know, thought of as strange and avoided by everyone. So.

I draw all the time. Well, I did before this busy time at work, anyway. I often have more than one thing going at a time. So, the kids only see what I want them to see. I just don't work on fanart...or at least any slashy fanart, while they are right there. But I understand what you're saying about getting a glass of water. LOL! My daughter (13) comes bouncing in, and LOOKING OVER MY SHOULDER, says "Whatchya doin?" So, I keep my fanart time limited to when they are gone or asleep, usually. So, now you know why I'm not more prolific!

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accioslash
2008-01-19 07:23 pm UTC (link)

I can't wait to give them a look.

Hopefully you'll find something good. It was just a quick search. You might want to search on LJ to see if there are communities here. I'd sure there must be.

In other words, your personal life.

Ah, yes, the moral turpitude clause. It's just a nice, blanket way for an employer to legally fire you if they can't find any fault with your work. I've always worked under them at every agency I've been affiliated with. Though I'm more concerned about the ethics clauses associated with my licenses (social worker and counselor). Any hint of scandal could cost me either or both. I certainly don't think anything I do is unethical (or I wouldn't be doing it) and most violations are very clearly defined (no sleeping with clients), but there are always gray areas.

I don't want to be the odd person, there, either. You know, thought of as strange and avoided by everyone.

Oh, absolutely. I think I must be so terribly ordinary in most instances that people tend to overlook any eccentricities on my part. And since I'm naturally quite curious and accepting of most things that any weirdness I embrace is more tolerable. Though I did have one co-worker who was furious that I was allowed to use a coffee mug with the picture of Starsky & Hutch that's on the icon I used in my first reply to you. It's a real picture, not a photo manip and the boys are having fun. There's nothing obscene about it unless you want to see it that way. I had originally brought it from home accidentally, but after he raised such a fuss I used it constantly. Fortunately, my co-workers and superiors valued me much more than they did him. I generally don't go out of my way to be offensive, but I refuse to be bullied.

So, now you know why I'm not more prolific!

Heh. If I had to limit my fandom time to when someone wasn't looking over my shoulder, I doubt I'd ever be on-line. Seriously, I've considered providing foster care, but I think I would have to give up fandom to do it.

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