Warnings, and their appropriate usage

[pixel]

So I've been around in fandom a long time, and yeah we used to do things a certain way because that's how they were done. Except sometimes we get smarter and STOP doing them because hey, they're actually kind of offensive, or important for other reasons.

So, let me be blunt about this: IF YOU *WARN* FOR SLASH or 'GAY' or MORE OFFENSIVELY TERMED THINGS OF THAT NATURE? I WILL NOT BE READING YOUR FIC. Simple as that.

We no longer live in the age of mailing lists where people stumble into an email that they might not have intended to, (and even then, that's a bit flimsy) so let's stop pretending that people can't read headers and see pairings listed and know what the hell that means ok?

On the other hand, if you have dub-con fic that isn't labeled as such, being a very appropriate use for Warnings, I probably won't be reading any more of that particular fic or any others of your fic because you appear to have the self-awareness of a fly. Similarly, warning for violence against minority groups would be a good thing, not that I remember seeing anything like that un-warned recently, but still.

Lets break it down: we *don't* warn for people's (generally healthy, positive) sexuality, we DO warn for violence, dub-con and other triggery material.

Comments

[megpie71]

If I knew I was writing in a community where there was a substantial body of readers who would forcibly object to inadvertently reading (for example) woman-on-top (or woman-as-top), and I wrote that, then yes, I would warn for it in headings. Mainly because that way the readers who are likely to throw tantrums about it don't have a legitimate leg to stand on with their complaints of offence - "if you don't like it, you don't have to read it" is a fair comment when there's clear warning for the disliked matter. It's less so (I feel) when a warning isn't clearly visible.

I might not feel particularly happy about having to put the warning there in the first place, but I also know I wouldn't feel particularly happy about having to deal with negative comments from nincompoops who'd be protesting about the lack of the warning, and/or how dare I do that to their precious favourite character etc. The problem here falls into the space where there's a compromise which needs to be made between my integrity as someone who doesn't have a problem with homosexual relationships as an entity and who feels people who do need to grow up a little; and my existence as a mentally ill person who really doesn't cope well with being the target of hostility. In such a situation, I will take steps to protect my mental health where necessary, and if those steps mean I have to do things which are somewhat distasteful to me personally, then so be it.