A Queer Reading of Why Fanfiction Matters

When the general public thinks of “fanfiction,” the first thing that comes to mind are the typical poorly written, teenage wish fulfilment, sex filled fantasies that populate wattpad. 

However — 

The merits of fanfiction cannot be denied. In a society where corporations own the stories that inhabit the public consciousness, the human need to adapt and tell stories (previously fulfilled through the avenues of cultural legends and folklore), is left vacant. Intellectual properties overly obsessed with canon and marketability already leave little space for alternate fan interpretation. Furthermore, characters in mainstream media are often sanitised to appeal to the wider audience. Naturally, this leads to the issue of the LGBTQ community… and representation. 

The Haye’s Code is far closer in American history than we’d like to think. And LGBTQ representation is nowhere near ideal levels, with characters still mostly being reduced to represent only their sexuality or gender. And speak nothing of well written, nuanced LGBTQ relationships, where both partners are full characters outside of their respective romance. 

This is where the importance of fanfiction comes in. Fanfiction is just a vehicle for ownership of intellectual property. And doubly so, it’s a major player in gen z’s queer expression. 

The unfettered nature of fanfiction allows for writers and audiences to create and consume the content so sorely missing from mainstream media. For queer writers, this means finally seeing couples who reflect their real expressions of love, affection, and sexuality. Additionally, it means characters who historically were very queer-coded finally are allowed a spotlight. 

Fanfiction provides a safe space for queer authors and audiences to write and explore anomalous topics, especially in regards to sexuality. These stories are fully owned and maintained by lgbtq people, making them a sort of safe-haven from the heteronormativity of “real” intellectual property.