lunabee34

In Trek fandom, I've noticed a fascination with alien features that are weird or ugly - in Garak/Bashir in particular, Bashir fetishizing the lizardlike features of Cardassian physiology and Garak responding (in the best fic) with the aspects of Human anatomy that are alien and grotesque to a Cardassian.

*nods nods*

And like you say, the best of those stories aren't (just) about exoticizing the Other, but removing "human" as the default setting for sentient beings. One of my favorite Trek moments is when Iman's character tells Kirk that not everybody keeps his genitals in the same place.

I also really like fic that deals with how our personal histories are inscribed on our bodies. Firefly seems to have a lot of stories like that as does SPN.

I know what you mean about analyzing your own work (although I think you've done a good job of that here). I tend to think I am more awesome than I am LOL when doing so.