WWW: Does Draco Have a Right to be Naked?
Jan. 28th, 2003 09:57 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sareaEvery so often you get wind of an actor who doesn't appreciate the exisistence of fanfic, especially the explicitly sexual kind. JK Rowling has said she would prefer people leave sex out of Harry Potter fanfic. When these people complain, should we listen?
What if a child actor said they were creeped out by the idea of their character engaging in sexual acts in fanfic? What constitutes a sexual act? How far do you think is too far? Is there such a thing as 'too far'?
What about JKR? If the creator of the characters says "no," does that have more weight than if one of the actors asked the writers to stop?
This post is long ... I found it impossible to be thoughtful about this topic and restrict the length. This is constantly my problem, I find.
I think the keyword in all of this is "fiction." As Mandy points out, we are writing about fictional characters, not real people (I don't condone RP fic, sorry). They exist in our minds and in our hearts, and because we love them, we want to see more of them. We want to know and read more about their adventures. We wonder "What if?" and try to answer that question.
This topic is difficult because it's very gray. I think arguments can be made for both sides and they would be equally compelling. If a child actor indicated that they were uncomfortable with what fans write about, it would give me pause. It would appeal to me on an emotional level and I might struggle with it, but I think in the end I'd realize that they have no additional right to determine what their character says and does than I have.
I pause a little more when it comes to the writer of the original work making that same plea. Like Mandy, and probably many other fan fiction writers, I hope someday to write (and publish) a novel. Fan fiction is not only a form of entertainment, but a way to hone writing skills and get feedback from peers on whether a story/writing style is a success or a failure. It's easier to experiment with writing using fanfic because 1) you have pre-established characters and backstory to work with; and 2) you have a ready-made audience to go along with it, who are already interested in and knowledgable about the characters. I know why *we* do it; I'm just not sure at what point -- if any -- we should draw the line.
I haven't heard JKR directly speak on the topic. I don't know if she condones fanfic in general and just wants to leave sex out of the equation, or if she's put off by the whole concept. I'll have to speak to just the former assumption, since that's really the focus of this topic. My $0.02 is this: If fanfic is considered generally acceptable, then placing "rules" on what happens in fanfic is unrealistic and censorious. Who makes the decision on what's acceptable and what's not? Who polices it?
I can understand a writer feeling proprietary toward their creation. Like Mandy, I'd be tickled by the idea of people writing fanfic in response to something I'd created -- I'd see it as a compliment. I'm not sure I would necessarily always like where people might take it, but in my opinion, *that wouldn't matter*. Whether I liked it or not, I would understand that I shared my work publicly, and therefore it is no longer soley mine. It now belongs also to those who enjoy it and write fanfic, and those who dislike it and criticize it in whatever forum they choose.
There's no doubt that JKR created a story in which the primary protagonists are minors, and while the stories appeal to older people, it's clear that they are intended for all audiences. If she finishes all seven books, Harry, Hermione, et al will still only be 17, when age 18 is more broadly accepted as being an "adult." So I don't blame her for publicly speaking out against sex between her characters. I'm not trying to say that privately she feels differently; just acknowledging that JKR's got an image to protect, too. In no situation can I see JKR publicly declaring that it's okay by her if fans want to write about Harry and Hermione doing the nasty. These are *supposed* to be children's books. (Whether HP really *is* a children's story is another debate that I won't go into here.)
In any case, I've noticed that fanfic writers -- for the most part -- have scruples that they abide by. We are bound in fanfic by the same societal restrictions that we live with every day, the mores that we've internalized and accepted. Sure, there are those who push those boundaries, and more power to them. The point is, I don't see many stories in which 12-year-old Draco and 11-year-old Ginny get it on. In fact, I don't think I've seen *any* stories like that (thank goodness). Most writers tend to age the characters to a generally accepted and believable point in which they *would* start to be curious about sex if they were real people. My best friend first had sex when she was 14. I'm not condoning minors having sex, but it happens, and it's not wrong to accept or portray that reality, imho.
We're writing fiction about fiction. We fanfic writers don't have to restrict ourselves to writing material that will appeal to *JKR*'s audience, because they're NOT our intended audience. We write what appeals to *us*, and if someone else enjoys it along the way, well, great! We do not sell our work, we do not hand it to little HP fans out on the street. If we want to use our imaginations and wonder what it would be like if the characters were 16, living in our world, without the restriction of having to see them through the viewpoint of a watered-down reality, that is absolutely our prerogative. And if we choose to write down our thoughts and share it with those who have actively sought to read it, again that is our prerogative. I don't believe this is wrong, even if we were not going with the assumption that non-sexually explicit fanfic is okay.
There is also the problem with defining sexual acts. What makes something sexual? Some would argue that a kiss is sexual in nature. Does that mean that none of the primary protagonists will never think about it, consider it, do it? Is that realistic? In GoF, Harry crushes on Cho, and Ron and Hermione seem to indicate that they are starting to feel more than friendly toward one another. It's natural and REAL that at 14 years of age, they would begin to see the opposite sex (or the same sex, for some) in a less neutral way. JKR will take it to a point and no further, because she has a general audience to contend with. We don't. And even if we did, who would make these decisions?
I feel strongly that once a book/TV show/movie has been released publicly, it then "belongs" to the public, manipulation of the original work and profit aside. I also think that if fanfic is considered an acceptable medium of expressing one's creativity, then placing rules on the content is not only a futile exercise but undesirable. Restricting anyone's speech makes me nervous. I may not want to read a fic that pairs Ron and Ginny together and I might hate the idea of Lucius/Draco, but I will argue to my last breath for an author's right to pen those stories.
What if a child actor said they were creeped out by the idea of their character engaging in sexual acts in fanfic? What constitutes a sexual act? How far do you think is too far? Is there such a thing as 'too far'?
What about JKR? If the creator of the characters says "no," does that have more weight than if one of the actors asked the writers to stop?
This post is long ... I found it impossible to be thoughtful about this topic and restrict the length.
I think the keyword in all of this is "fiction." As Mandy points out, we are writing about fictional characters, not real people (I don't condone RP fic, sorry). They exist in our minds and in our hearts, and because we love them, we want to see more of them. We want to know and read more about their adventures. We wonder "What if?" and try to answer that question.
This topic is difficult because it's very gray. I think arguments can be made for both sides and they would be equally compelling. If a child actor indicated that they were uncomfortable with what fans write about, it would give me pause. It would appeal to me on an emotional level and I might struggle with it, but I think in the end I'd realize that they have no additional right to determine what their character says and does than I have.
I pause a little more when it comes to the writer of the original work making that same plea. Like Mandy, and probably many other fan fiction writers, I hope someday to write (and publish) a novel. Fan fiction is not only a form of entertainment, but a way to hone writing skills and get feedback from peers on whether a story/writing style is a success or a failure. It's easier to experiment with writing using fanfic because 1) you have pre-established characters and backstory to work with; and 2) you have a ready-made audience to go along with it, who are already interested in and knowledgable about the characters. I know why *we* do it; I'm just not sure at what point -- if any -- we should draw the line.
I haven't heard JKR directly speak on the topic. I don't know if she condones fanfic in general and just wants to leave sex out of the equation, or if she's put off by the whole concept. I'll have to speak to just the former assumption, since that's really the focus of this topic. My $0.02 is this: If fanfic is considered generally acceptable, then placing "rules" on what happens in fanfic is unrealistic and censorious. Who makes the decision on what's acceptable and what's not? Who polices it?
I can understand a writer feeling proprietary toward their creation. Like Mandy, I'd be tickled by the idea of people writing fanfic in response to something I'd created -- I'd see it as a compliment. I'm not sure I would necessarily always like where people might take it, but in my opinion, *that wouldn't matter*. Whether I liked it or not, I would understand that I shared my work publicly, and therefore it is no longer soley mine. It now belongs also to those who enjoy it and write fanfic, and those who dislike it and criticize it in whatever forum they choose.
There's no doubt that JKR created a story in which the primary protagonists are minors, and while the stories appeal to older people, it's clear that they are intended for all audiences. If she finishes all seven books, Harry, Hermione, et al will still only be 17, when age 18 is more broadly accepted as being an "adult." So I don't blame her for publicly speaking out against sex between her characters. I'm not trying to say that privately she feels differently; just acknowledging that JKR's got an image to protect, too. In no situation can I see JKR publicly declaring that it's okay by her if fans want to write about Harry and Hermione doing the nasty. These are *supposed* to be children's books. (Whether HP really *is* a children's story is another debate that I won't go into here.
In any case, I've noticed that fanfic writers -- for the most part -- have scruples that they abide by. We are bound in fanfic by the same societal restrictions that we live with every day, the mores that we've internalized and accepted. Sure, there are those who push those boundaries, and more power to them. The point is, I don't see many stories in which 12-year-old Draco and 11-year-old Ginny get it on. In fact, I don't think I've seen *any* stories like that (thank goodness). Most writers tend to age the characters to a generally accepted and believable point in which they *would* start to be curious about sex if they were real people. My best friend first had sex when she was 14. I'm not condoning minors having sex, but it happens, and it's not wrong to accept or portray that reality, imho.
We're writing fiction about fiction. We fanfic writers don't have to restrict ourselves to writing material that will appeal to *JKR*'s audience, because they're NOT our intended audience. We write what appeals to *us*, and if someone else enjoys it along the way, well, great! We do not sell our work, we do not hand it to little HP fans out on the street. If we want to use our imaginations and wonder what it would be like if the characters were 16, living in our world, without the restriction of having to see them through the viewpoint of a watered-down reality, that is absolutely our prerogative. And if we choose to write down our thoughts and share it with those who have actively sought to read it, again that is our prerogative. I don't believe this is wrong, even if we were not going with the assumption that non-sexually explicit fanfic is okay.
There is also the problem with defining sexual acts. What makes something sexual? Some would argue that a kiss is sexual in nature. Does that mean that none of the primary protagonists will never think about it, consider it, do it? Is that realistic? In GoF, Harry crushes on Cho, and Ron and Hermione seem to indicate that they are starting to feel more than friendly toward one another. It's natural and REAL that at 14 years of age, they would begin to see the opposite sex (or the same sex, for some) in a less neutral way. JKR will take it to a point and no further, because she has a general audience to contend with. We don't. And even if we did, who would make these decisions?
I feel strongly that once a book/TV show/movie has been released publicly, it then "belongs" to the public, manipulation of the original work and profit aside. I also think that if fanfic is considered an acceptable medium of expressing one's creativity, then placing rules on the content is not only a futile exercise but undesirable. Restricting anyone's speech makes me nervous. I may not want to read a fic that pairs Ron and Ginny together and I might hate the idea of Lucius/Draco, but I will argue to my last breath for an author's right to pen those stories.
