Question for male slashers - is slash demeaning?

[enismirdal]

OK, I was reading foreverdirt's journal, and she said, among other things:

The majority of slash fetishises homosexual relationships for the titillation (emotional and physical) of a predominantly straight audience. Queers are idealised and idolised, yes, but also treated as little more than performing monkeys on the alter of heterosexual pleasure. It doesn't encourage a culture of respect and understanding, or place us on an equal footing with you, merely makes us into toys for you to take out and play with when it suits you and to ignore when it doesn't.

I don't feel empowered by straight men (or, for that matter, queer men) letching over their version of lesbianism - I feel dirty. Why should queer men not feel the same way about slash, which is after all nothing more than our idealised version of them?

I'd love to hear what other people think, especially gay/bi (and also straight) guys who are into slash. Do you think it's demeaning?

EDIT: And yeah, I'm aware this was an April Fools, but it's an interesting thought nonetheless :)

Comments

[foreverdirt.livejournal.com]

Eek! That was my obligatory April Fool's day post.

*winces* Sorry!

I'm not bothered by men who find lesbians (whether real or idealised) a turn on, nor do I think slash is demeaning. It can be a forum for queer issues and certainly fosters in the most part an accepting and open minded way of thinking (although there are as many morons in the slash part of fandom as anywhere else) but it's not about queer men nearly as often as it's about what turns women on.

[enismirdal.livejournal.com]

Was the above comment posted before or after the edit, just out of interest?

And yeah, I know. I'm a bit slow on the uptake; my brain doesn't work with dates at all. Remembering today was Girly's birthday left me with no room to remember anything else today until I saw someone on my flist mention April Fool's. *eeek*

*looks embarrassed*

*growls at calendar*

I'd still like to hear other people's thoughts though...

[foreverdirt.livejournal.com]

I didn't see the edit, no - but fair enough. You may be interested in thebratqueen's beautiful rant on slash and gay rights (http://www.livejournal.com/users/thebratqueen/421872.html) if you haven't seen it before: "the question has arisen of whether or not being a slash fan yet being firmly against the rights of gays to marry makes one a hypocrite. Allow me to offer an answer to this question: I don't know if it makes you a hypocrite, but it sure as hell makes you an asshole."

Hope your Nice Young Lady's birthday brings her much joy and happiness.

[gyre.livejournal.com]

Not into slash ... and straight ... but I don't find it demeaning.

[anuanu.livejournal.com]

I don't find it demeaning, actually. And this may just be me, but I rather like all the attention.

Well, the positive attention, at any rate. Better to be appreciated than killed. *shrug*

[enismirdal.livejournal.com]

Hehehe :)

Which is, interestingly, pretty much the same as how I feel about deliberately kissing Girly in front of the kebab man in order to get cheap kebabs and chips :D (plus, any excuse to kiss Girly, including especially in public places, is a good one XD )