Sterek, Slashtivism, and Stupidty: A Response to a Misguided Article
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I am assuming, by now at least, you all have attempted to read the lengthy article written at the Daily Dot about why slashtivism, particularly Sterek slash shipping, is hurting Teen Wolf fans. It’s a ballsy piece stating the definitions of slash, how Teen Wolf fits in, and why the author thinks it’s problematic for the Sterek shippers to take over a show. After making my way through this article, some thoughts formulated in my mind so here they are.
First of all let’s address the petty things. 1) Ma’am why is this article SO LONG? My eyes glazed over several times and I was actually interested in what you had to say. 2) if you are going to make up words like slashtivism can they at least be decent ones? 3) your definition for said made up word is foolish.
Now onto the more serious stuff, Aja, ma’am this article is so misguided. One because of the subject matter you chose and two because you are viewing everything through a heteronormative lens. Let’s take the following quote for example:
By definition, being a slasher means being on the outside of canon, and knowing it: it means that you take a canon—the narrative of a story, or of reality, if your slash ship pairing involves real people—and you subvert it by upending the sexuality of the characters presumed to be straight.
I’m sure there are plenty of examples where the above was the case, because the show made explicit proclamations of sexuality. However, this does not apply to Teen Wolf. If anything it’s a show that invites slash shipping because of it’s fluid sexuality. As it’s presented, it’s a world without homophobia or sexual hangups, meaning that until you know a character is straight, they can be presumed as anything. So why then would you use this to ground your arguement about the show? Especially when you go into the following…
Boasting a large ensemble cast, lots of diversity, a queer showrunner, and a promise to eventually inject gay relationships into the mix, Teen Wolf is a surprisingly progressive, fun story full of fanservice for its avid watchers. …It had gay characters from the start…It’s strongly implied that one of its main characters is bisexual, and it has tried to be a progressive show on numerous other fronts as well. Tonight’s episode promises to give fans what they’ve wanted for two and a half seasons—no, what they’ve wanted since slash fandom began back in the 70’s: an actual queer relationship happening onscreen as a non-gratuitous part of the plot.
Why even bring this point up? Having fair and balanced portrayals of sexuality on Teen Wolf is something that has led to the ability of people to really believe it can become cannon, NOT a weapon used to wield against shippers. And for once in my fucking life, can I see an article talk about Sterek without the mention of Dethan?! What does Danny having sex with his alpha werewolf boyfriend have anything to do with Sterek being cannon? Shipping Sterek is not about wanting the show to be more progressive, though it no doubt would lend a hand in that area. People want Sterek because the actors have amazing chemistry, they envision the great storylines that could be possible if fan fiction is any indication, and because it’s their OTP. That’s it. That’s the statement. Like I ship Scisaac hardcore, even though Scott is 99% straight, but that doesn’t mean I need it for some queer representation quota, I just like the ship.
There’s a growing and increasingly pervasive sense that shipping Sterek is about getting to canon—as if canon were an end zone and the only way to ship something is to be a linebacker running a charge for your team.
The only reason why slash pairing haven’t become cannon is that the show runners don’t want them to and we still live in a world where the heteronormative storytelling is the primary voice. Sterek shippers, should and do, advocate for their pairing because if they don’t, who will? Jeff wouldn’t even know about the problems with the show if people didn’t tell him so why should slash shipping be any different?
Sterek fans are openly discussing how they’re about to stop watching the show, rather than supporting it just as it’s giving them the kind of representation they say they want.Sterek fans are openly discussing how they’re about to stop watching the show, rather than supporting it just as it’s giving them the kind of representation they say they want.
And this is problematic to you because…what? Supporting a TV show is a time-consuming thing and if a show is not exploring the storylines I am interested in or forcing me into things I don’t like, I see no problem with people leaving the show. Who gives a fuck if it’s got queer representation when the queer representation the fans want is not what they’re getting? That’s like saying I should be happy that this apple tastes good when I really wanted an orange.
Oh and let me set you straight on Doomed/Jenerek real quick. you know why people don’t like doomed? Because it’s been set up by cheap, exploitative scenes with everything screaming THIS IS DEREK’S LOVE INTEREST. Five episodes in and there’s nothing organic about it or in character for Derek. I am not even an ardent Sterek shipper and I want this plot to be done so I can forget about it.
And last, but certainly not least, there’s the conclusion to this piece:
The biggest problem I have with slashtivism is that it implies that more is at stake if Sterek doesn’t become canon than the hurt feelings of shippers. Ultimately I’m not sure that there is…
It’s true that, at this point, it will suck if Sterek doesn’t happen. I don’t even ship Sterek, and it will suck for me personally if Sterek doesn’t happen…I want to know that a major slash pairing can advocate itself into becoming canon because that will shatter like eighteen cultural paradigms at once.
Finally, and most importantly, I just don’t want fans to get hurt.
Girl. What. Are. You. Saying? Did you just vacillate on the entire premise of your argument, talk down to Sterek shippers AND try to make us feel bad for you at the same time???? *fights the air*
Honestly, I do a have a problem with the discourse surrounding Sterek/Doomed/any ship on Teen Wolf, something I talked about at length on the latest Demon Wolfcast but my goodness are pieces like this not helping forward the conversation. There’s a dialogue waiting to be had with regards to how much fan ownership people should have over the shows and movies they watch/pay for and what is out of the realms of the fandom. But by printing something like this, and putting the onus on the fans and not the show, you stunt that conversation and stoke the ire.
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3 thoughts on “Sterek, Slashtivism, and Stupidty: A Response to a Misguided Article”
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Just read Aja’s article after listening to your “Sterek” Demon Wolfcast, (perfect timing!) and this rebuttal is awesome!! It’s true – Teen Wolf has changed the shipping game in many ways: the homophobia-free world in which it exists, the responsiveness of its creator and actors to fandom, and its awesome and sometimes ridiculous storyline that gives fans so much to work with. But because the game has changed, it seems the old rules which governed slasher’s interactions with the show need to change as well – and that’s a complicated and tricky conversation to have! I certainly don’t have the answers, but I agree with you and Micah that articles like this (stay in your corner and be satisfied??) and the one from Hyable (gay quotas, wtf?!) aren’t helping to further a productive dialogue. So thanks for writing this!!
thanks for the kudos! And I definitely think the game has changed with Teen Wolf and therefore the fans and the writers have to recognize that. We’ll see what happens from here on out though I have a feeling tonight’s episode won’t be a fun one for sterek shippers lol
I can’t read her article as it seems to have vanished but frankly I am disappointed that fandom keeps harping on this.
The campaign for Derek and Stiles is actually progressive for queer representation because it’s not just about encouraging a gay couple on tv but it’s about encouraging a couple! Regardless of whether they are gay or straight! As a gay person, I find this heartening to know that people like this pairing enough that they are campaigning for it the same as they have in the past for other pairings [usually straight ones.]
I don’t know if everyone is suddenly new to fandom, but this kind of thing isn’t that different than the million of other fandom campaigns that have gone on. I would point to the fact that on QAF, after that all important episode in season 2, where Brian and Justin “make love,” the producers were went flowers by the bucketful.
I understand that before it might have been more show focused campaigns to a degree but seriously, not that different. On top of which, I don’t have to support a show just because it’s gay or has gay characters. That might have been true ten years ago but I think we have reached the point where I can choose what to support and watch, and that is worth celebrating.
Slash fandom and queer representation in media are two separate things, and people need to remember that. I am very sad to see that fandom has turned into such bitter asshats IN PUBLIC. At least we used to leave that stuff to fanwank. Now we air all of our dirty laundry in public, which is ruining us.
On a slasher note, yes, I would love to see a campaign that made my shipper couples happen. I’m not going to lie, almost of all of us secretly wish our couples would be canon even if we think it would ruin it or take away the fun of existing outside of canon. I just…fandom used to be a lot better than this. I miss the old days. Sorry, I’m just really sad that tumblr, ONTD, and other sites have taken what was background fighting and made it something to champion.