Shipper tendencies

[gategrrl]

Can someone explain to me why there's such a compelling need to sexualize and Romantic-ize characters? I've been there myself, but I seem to have gone past that as a "serious" endeavor. I'll *play* with characters and their sexuality -- but the *need* to pair them up romantically just isn't a priority, and it seems so unnecessary, and somewhat Mary Sueish, especially if it's certain types of het and slash writing.

It's not so much the sexualizing -- that I get, it's fun to imagine your favorite characters whupping it up with the whipped cream and cherries, and get down and dirty and sweaty. But at the same time, what I'm puzzled more about is the need to Harlequinnize decent characters who already have complex, nonsexual relationships with each other, that get totally boring when they DO get together.

Anyone?

Comments

[graculus.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's sexualising the characters so much as domesticating them - I want hot sweaty sex between character A and B, not curtain shopping and agonising over whether the couch should go beside the door or under the window. I resent anything that takes away the complexity of the characters and replaces it with Stepford Wife syndrome (and yes, this applies equally to slash, see beaglefic for details).

In other words, I want A and B to be having the rich, exciting and incredibly flexible sex life I'm not having at the moment. ;)

[gategrrl.livejournal.com]

BEAGLEFIC!!!! Augh!

LOL, no really, hee. :-D

I think you said it so much better than I did. I guess it's the domestication of interesting characters into cliche'ic roles that are a hundred times more boring than their onscreen selves (which is amazing for Jack and Sam, because I find them both now incredibly boring even *without* the shipping).

What you're talking about here is part of the equation. It's not the "Wheee! let's see what they do!" ficwriters that make me cringe, because that *can* be fun...it's the "Must.Ship.These.Two.Together."

Sometimes even the inclusion of sex, aside from the domestication you brought up, is ... besides the point, I guess. I'm not against sex, or any of that in fic (I've written it too)...

I guess I'll have to go with what you've posted. Because I can't seem to come up with anything better, that wouldn't be insulting to those that worship shipping and adore pairing characters up together like the animals in Noah's ark.

[graculus.livejournal.com]

What you're talking about here is part of the equation. It's not the "Wheee! let's see what they do!" ficwriters that make me cringe, because that *can* be fun...it's the "Must.Ship.These.Two.Together."

And my immediate response to that is usually "No, you really mustn't". I too have an immense dislike for knee-jerk adolescent attempts to pair everyone off as if they have no worth unless they're part of a couple (so you could have Sam&Jack and Daniel&Janet because then Jack won't have to worry about being Daniel's best friend because he'll be with someone and therefore he can concentrate on Sammypoos like he ought to). Because we know that unless you have a boyfriend or girlfriend you're going to go and throw yourself under a bus Right Now! :P

I guess for me, the other question is this: do you want to be part of the relationship or do you want to watch? Is what's driving some people the desperate need to project themselves into this banal version of domestic bliss, so much so that they suck the life and originality out of the characters in order to warp them into the characters they'd have to be in order to be that dull?

[gategrrl.livejournal.com]

Be my guru! :-D

[graculus.livejournal.com]

You're scaring me now. ;)