What constitutes a slash story?

[lunabee34]

I have a question.

A few days ago, I read the delightfully funny The Awful Truth by blade_girl. The rec in which I found the story states: I rec this one with a caveat to slash fans - as a fan of both slash and gen, I must tell you this story contains apparently slashy elements, but is ultimately gen (regardless of the author's notes); and may prove unsatisfying to a slasher. That being said, I find it a plausible, positive, and touching take on the characters and their friendship.) I found this description intriguing and it was pretty much the impetus for me reading the story. The notes for the story itself state: A slash story AND a gen story at the same time. I can’t explain that without giving away the ending, so I ask you to read regardless of your preference. Both the writer of this story and at least one reader of the story (and I assume probably more) seem to think that labeling this fic as slash is problematic.

So my question is the following: what makes a slash fic?



In "The Awful Truth," John and Rodney attempt to have sex. Poorly. By the story's end, they have not had sex but they have kissed several times and rubbed each other's torsos awkwardly. Each reveals that although he had lately been wondering whether the deep and abiding McShep friendship was concealing sexual/romantic attraction, ultimately only friendship exists between them. This story is hilarious but also contains sharp character insights and very astute observations of the McShep friendship dynamic.

In my estimation, this story falls squarely in the slash camp. Even though John and Rodney don't have sex and even though they decide that they don't even WANT to have sex with each other, the fic is about them exploring the possibilities of a romantic relationship with each other. John and Rodney both legitimately believe at the fic's beginning that they might have romantic feelings for each other, feelings that they should act on. Just because when the fic closes, the two remain friends instead of lovers I can't handwave away that the majority of the fic is about them coming to terms with their feelings for each other and how they will proceed based on those feelings.

We all seem to agree that when a fic contains same sex sex, we've got slash. Elizabeth and Teyla necking in the Gate Room? Check. Slash. Sam blowing Dean in the backseat of the Impala? Check. Slash. Even when the characters having sex with each other don't like each other at all (Spike and Xander hate sex in the Basement of Doom? Check. Slash.), we still consider the story slash. When same sex characters are having sex in a story, we don't consider character emotions or motivations at all in labelling the fic. Two or more dudes doing it (for various definitions of doing it) or two or more chicks doing it (for various definitions of doing it) is slash.

When a story lacks sex, though, we run into differences of opinion. I think most of us don't believe that a story has to contain sex in order to be slash (but I might be wrong). I don't believe that. We don't think stories have to contain sex in order to be labeled het. Many excellent het love stories never expose more skin than a flash of delicately bared ankle. I think that when a story deals with at least one character's romantic and/or sexual feelings for another character of the same sex, we've got a slash story. These feelings may be unrequited or never admitted to the object of interest. They may be rebuffed. And like in "The Awful Truth," the characters may decide that they were mistaking deep friendship for something more.

So, what do you guys think? Am I way off base here?

Comments

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

I would call the story you cite slash, but not, for example, Dasha's Salt of the Earth, despite the fact that McKay's in love with Sheppard. I think for me, it's the focus of the story - "The Awful Truth" is all about the potential of romance, and Salt of the Earth is not.

I'm not familiar with that story, but it sounds interesting. And because I'm not familiar I don't know what you mean by the focus of the story being elsewhere. :) Damn the internets for being too big for me to read everything! LOL

Just to play devil's advocate, what would you call a story in which Rodney is in love with Elizabeth but the story doesn't focus on their potential for romance?

[trobadora]

Let me pimp: Salt of the Earth part 1, part 2 and part 3. It's a John and Rodney friendship story, except that Rodney happens to be in love with John, and John happens to know it. But the focus is on the friendship, and Rodney's unrequited love is an obstacle, not the point or the focus. It's certainly not slash to me - at the end of the day I'd probably call it gen, but it doesn't sit entirely comfortably in any category.

Just to play devil's advocate, what would you call a story in which Rodney is in love with Elizabeth but the story doesn't focus on their potential for romance?

If it was along the lines of Salt of the Earth? Just the same - definitely not het, but not entirely comfortable in the gen category. *g*

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

I have to read this story and decide where I think it should fall. :) Thanks for the link!

Just from what you've described here, I probably would label "Salt of the Earth" a slash story, but I want to read it and find out!

I know that I have labeled stories with sex in them as gen in the past (or porny gen maybe. Or maybe it's one of my own stories? I don't remember. I tried to go through my recs and find an example but came up trumps. I think glossing was kicking around a term a couple years ago to describe gen stories with sexual elements, but I can't remember what the term was.) because even though sex did occur or was mentioned it was tangential or far, far outside the focus of the fic. So, for me, a 7000 word story about Sam Carter in which she has a two paragraph rendezvous with a guy at a bar because she's upset after a mission, I might describe as gen. A story about a Sam Carter who is very much in love with Daniel but can't mention her feelings because they would hurt Jack, even if she never reveals them or the majority of the story is about them on a mission, I would probably label it as het because I have to assume that her feelings are informing her actions. That her love for Daniel is coloring her behavior and her motivation.

Maybe like executrix says below, we need to coin another term for a category. LOL If I was in the least bit clever, I would give it a go, but alas.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes. I've read this story before and it is indeed a very good one. Thanks for reminding me of it. I personally would categorize it as slash, though. :)

[trobadora]

It's totally fascinating how differently people approach these things. Would you call a story with the same kind of het content "het", too?

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

*nods*

I must caveat by saying that I didn't re-read the whole of Salt. I read the entire first chapter and about halfish of the second and I can't really remember where the story ends up.

But the strength of Rodney's feelings for John in the first half, the fact that John knows about them and discusses them with him and is even willing to perhaps attempt to give Rodney the erotic relationship he wants--that makes the story slash for me. And if we took out John and inserted Elizabeth, I'd feel that story was het as well.

It is fascinating how we all differ. I love that fandom is so varied.

[trobadora]

It's very fascinating! I don't classify stories by what they contain, otherwise I'd have to call 99% of published fiction het. *g* For me, it's what the story is about - and Salt is about friendship. It has some slash content, but it isn't slash to me, because for that it would have to focus on romance (failed or not) or sex.