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

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

I think a good example is the unexpectedness factor. When a romance comes across as fresh, new, envigorating, but also unexpected, then it seems more real and excited.

It's the pairs that reek of "oh, I knew they would get together" that bother me. The type of pairing that is in a movie or a book or a tv show. We just know it's going to happen. Something tells me that if it's that predictible, then there are underlying problems.

That didn't answer any of your questions, but I felt like saying it.