carduelis-carduelis - Tumblr blog

[carduelis-carduelis]

So I've seen your twitter posts about the nature of rpf. I essentially agree with you. I don't really mind if the people being shipped are popular enough to have a public persona, just so there's a buffer between who they are as people and who they are as a celebrity (and tbh, whose making porn of randos they saw walking the street?)

However, I only believe that is good as long as they are adults. I think rpf smut of irl underaged people (celebrities or not) crosses the boundary between fiction and reality abided by most proshippers and becomes CSEM. For instance, I heard on twitter of an acc on Twitter which drew rpf of the child actor from Terminator, who used it not being fiction as an excuse to draw it.

This mentality also applies to smut made of live action characters portrayed by real children (unless the author is a child themselves, but it can still be tricky since kids can produce/ distribute CSEM of other kids) since it still uses the physical description of an actual child to create the fiction.

What is your take on this?

Hi, and thank you for a good question! My answer is a bit on the long side, but I want to explain my reasoning properly, so bear with me.

I think we need to be very careful when labelling something as CSEM/CSAM so that we don't undermine the severity of the crime that leads to there being material of the sexual exploitation or abuse of a child.

CSEM/CSAM is illegal because in order to produce that material, an actual child is directly exploited or abused. The material is proof that this exploitation/abuse has happened. If the material is distributed further, the exploitation of the child doesn't stop.

When someone draws or writes smut and uses the likeness of a real person as their inspiration/reference, that real person is not part of the process. The artist has not seen them engaging in the activity they are drawing/describing. The end product is a piece of fiction instead of a recording of something that actually happened to the person whose likeness is being used.

Mind you, I am talking about drawings, not AI revenge porn or anything similar where someone who looks at the picture can't easily tell whether the person portrayed in the picture has been in that situation or not. Manipulating photos of a real person is not the same as using their likeness for reference when drawing something.

Keeping all of this in mind, I would not say that a piece of smutty art that uses the likeness of an actual minor counts as CSEM, unless the said minor has posed for the art, which would be the exploitation that happened in order to produce that piece of art.

There are people who draw smutty art using the likeness of underage actors or other celebrities, or who write smut about the underage characters or the kids portraying those characters. Most people will probably be more or less disgusted by this concept and/or find it morally questionable. But CSEM/CSAM is not defined based on how disgusting people think the material is.

In conclusion: fictional material can't be CSEM/CSAM any more than it can be murder or manslaughter.

[carduelis-carduelis]

Why Do We Like Izzy Hands? (Survey Report)

At this point this is probably considered to be fandom history, but better late than never, right?

“Why Do We Like Izzy Hands?” survey report is finally published! The PDF version is available on the Our Flag Means Research website.

The text portion of the report is also available on AO3.

[carduelis-carduelis]

The first round of polls is still open, go vote!

If you need a distraction from festivities today or tomorrow (or if you just want to join in), I'm running a Most Pathetic Character tournament over on Mastodon! We're having a lot of fun. :D

Options to vote:

message me for an invite to my home server, Blorbo.social!

request an invite here: https://blorbo.social/auth/sign_up (be sure to mention fandom, so they know you're not a bot, but you don't need to write an essay or anything)

paste https://blorbo.social/@xieliansbignaturals/111636235955451011 (same link as the top of this post) into the search bar of a different server

[carduelis-carduelis]

How Did Season 2 Affect the Numbers of OFMD fanfiction on AO3

An overall view of the total change between 30 Aug and 29 Nov 2023.

Comparison between 2 weeks post-teaser and 2 weeks post-trailer.

Weekly changes are observed between 14 Sep and 29 Nov 2023.

The report also looks into how the most popular ship tags fared during this time.

The PDF is available on the Our Flag Means Research website.

The data was collected and the report was written by @carduelis-carduelis

[carduelis-carduelis]

Ship Tags and Ratings of OFMD Fanfiction on AO3 (2023 Rerun)

A year ago @carduelis-carduelis looked into the most popular OFMD ship tags on AO3.

Because comparing data is fun, there's now a follow-up / rerun study so that we can see how things have changed since last year. The new data sets are from 30 August and 29 November 2023.

The PDF is available on Our Flag Means Research website.

[carduelis-carduelis]

fuck it. throw david tennant in as the master next. "hey i stole your face. you really liked this one, right? you keep using it." he'd have fun.

[carduelis-carduelis]

New Single Chapter Fics Under the OFMD Tag on AO3, comparing 2022 & 2023 / S1 & S2

The number of new single chapter fics under the OFMD tag on AO3 has been under observation since July. It's time to wrap this up and post the finalised graphs:

Weekly new single chapter fics (1 July - 1 December 2022 and 2023)

Daily new single chapter fics (September-November 2022 and 2023)

Daily new single chapter fics (3 weeks during and 5 weeks after S1 & S2)

Multichapter fics were not counted since it's difficult to get that data from AO3. Also, multichapter fics aren't necessarily as good at reflecting the level of "acute inspiration" as single chapter fics.

The data was collected by Tikli on 3 December 2023.

First, let's look at the weekly data during the 22 week observation period (1 July - 1 December 2022 and 2023).

The total number of new fics during the observation period was 5,000 (weekly average 227) in 2022 and 5,272 in 2023 (5.4% more than the previous year; weekly average 240).

In July and August 2022, the number of weekly new fics was clearly higher than in 2023.

In September, the difference between years wasn't as clear; first half of the month had more new fics in 2023 and the second half had more new fics in 2022.

Kinktober caused a spike in the numbers at the beginning of October both years.

In 2022, the numbers declined rapidly after the first week of October and in November, the weekly numbers were below the weekly average. After the first week of October, there were more weekly new fics in 2023 than in 2022.

In 2023, season 2 aired on 5 October and the weekly numbers grew each week during the season. The numbers declined the week after the finale aired, and in November, they were below the lowest week of October. During the last two weeks of November 2023, the weekly numbers were below the weekly average.

Highest weekly number in 2022 was 485 (30 Sep - 6 Oct). In 2023, it was 581 (21-27 Oct, the week when the final episode aired).

Lowest weekly number in 2022 was 142 (25 Nov - 1 Dec). In 2023, it was 84 (1-7 Jul).

Next, let's take a closer look at the daily numbers during September-November 2022 and 2023.

The total number of new fics during the observation period was 2,906 (daily average 32) in 2022 and 4,160 (43% more than the previous year; daily average 46) in 2023.

In September, the lines of both years are overlapping (between 13 and 47, daily average 25 in 2023 and 26 in 2022). After S2 trailer on 14 Sep there’s a noticeable spike in the numbers.

S2 aired between 5-26 October. During the same period in 2022, the number of daily fics was between 27 and 73 (daily average 45). During the airing of S2 the daily number was between 55 and 102 (daily average 72).

After the finale of S2 (27 Oct -30 Nov), the numbers decline rapidly, ranging between 17 and 100 (daily average 45). During the same period in 2022, daily number was between 12 and 45 (daily average 24).

After mid-November, the lines of both years start overlapping again (between 12 and 47, daily average 31 in 2023 and 20 in 2022).

Finally, let's compare the number of daily new single chapter fics during the three weeks when seasons were airing and during the five weeks after the season finale.

Season 1 started streaming on 3 March 2022 and Season 2 on 5 October 2023. New episodes aired weekly on Thursdays and the final episode aired three weeks after the season started.

The total number of new single chapter fics during the observation period was 3,088 in 2022 and 3,164 in 2023 (2.5% more than the previous year)

During the three weeks when the new season was airing (counting the air date of the final episode), the daily average of new fics was 7 in 2022 and 72 in 2023.

During the five weeks after the final episode, the daily average of new fics was 84 in 2022 and 45 in 2023.

The highest daily number in 2022 was 125 fics 17 days after the finale aired. In 2023, the highest daily number was 102 fics on the day the finale aired.

The lowest daily number after the finale of season 1 was 56 fics the next day after the finale. After the finale of season 2, the lowest daily number was 17 fics three weeks after the finale aired.

Five weeks after the final episode, the number of daily new fics was 68 in 2022 and 25 in 2023.

[carduelis-carduelis]

Completed Works and WIPs Under the OFMD Tag on AO3

It’s a bit tricky to get specific data of fic numbers from AO3, but after doing some digging, here's a graph to illustrate the monthly numbers of completed OFMD fics and also how the number of WIPs has changed since the show aired in March 2022.

The number of single chapter works is needed in order to count the number of completed multichapter works. This data set only covers July-October 2022 and 2023. This is why the purple line in the graph is fragmented.

[carduelis-carduelis]

Completed Works and WIPs Under the OFMD Tag on AO3

It’s a bit tricky to get specific data of fic numbers from AO3, but after doing some digging, here's a graph to illustrate the monthly numbers of completed OFMD fics and also how the number of WIPs has changed since the show aired in March 2022.

The number of single chapter works is needed in order to count the number of completed multichapter works. This data set only covers July-October 2022 and 2023. This is why the purple line in the graph is fragmented.

[carduelis-carduelis]

Completed Works and WIPs Under the OFMD Tag on AO3

It’s a bit tricky to get specific data of fic numbers from AO3, but after doing some digging, here's a graph to illustrate the monthly numbers of completed OFMD fics and also how the number of WIPs has changed since the show aired in March 2022.

The number of single chapter works is needed in order to count the number of completed multichapter works. This data set only covers July-October 2022 and 2023. This is why the purple line in the graph is fragmented.

[carduelis-carduelis]

Turns out the final update on daily number of new single chapter fics under the OFMD tag on AO3 wasn’t the final update after all! Here's the current situation, 3 weeks after the finale of S2.

Currently the total number of new fics during the observation period in 2023 is 2.3% more than the previous year.

The highest daily number is 102 fics on the day the finale of S2 aired (26 Oct 2023).

[carduelis-carduelis]

Turns out the final update on daily number of new single chapter fics under the OFMD tag on AO3 wasn’t the final update after all! Here's the current situation, 3 weeks after the finale of S2.

Currently the total number of new fics during the observation period in 2023 is 2.3% more than the previous year.

The highest daily number is 102 fics on the day the finale of S2 aired (26 Oct 2023).

[carduelis-carduelis]

a comic about fix-it fanfics

[carduelis-carduelis]

Keeping an eye on how Season 2 of OFMD affects the number of new fanfics on AO3.

Here's a graph showing the number of weekly new fanfics on AO3 since the show started airing. The data was collected by tikli on 16 Sep 2023, using the Work Search on AO3 and searching for fics that were older than X weeks, starting from “> 79 weeks”.

[carduelis-carduelis]

Keeping an eye on how Season 2 of OFMD affects the number of new fanfics on AO3.

Here's a graph showing the number of weekly new fanfics on AO3 since the show started airing. The data was collected by tikli on 16 Sep 2023, using the Work Search on AO3 and searching for fics that were older than X weeks, starting from “> 79 weeks”.

[carduelis-carduelis]

An open letter to David Jenkins

Some fans believe that we should not vent our anger and frustration to show creators. I don’t believe that. The thing about being a professional is that receiving criticism is part of your job—especially if you have done a terrible job.

OFMD went from groundbreaking to disappointing overnight.

There was a momentum to create a queer media that is smart, fun, sexy, and most importantly, respectful. In the way they are writing these queer characters. Especially older and disabled queer characters, a reflection of a generation of marginalised communities that have gone through so much. To give audience a glimpse of hope in their escapism.

But sir, you choose to Remus Lupin him instead.

This is not just about killing off a character. Hell, I might be willing to accept it. After all, I have read and even written fics with MCD in it—involving my favourite character.

But I want you to know that this is a special case. It is not just another popular character being killed off to drive plots.

I have issue with how you kill off a queer character that represents many marginalised communities in his arc.

Izzy is an abuse survivor who becomes disabled as a result of it. Izzy is a queer elder. Izzy is suicidal but manages to overcome it with the healing power of love and community.

Having him killed off just like that is a huge slap for fans who have gone through what he has gone through. Turns out, even in fiction, in our escapism, there is no joy. Only despair.

Also. Father figure? Where does that come from? Ed has never been shown to have any level of respect for Izzy. So let me ask you again. Where does “father figure” come from?

You have an opportunity to make a difference with OFMD; to be remembered in history for the right reasons. Yet somehow you choose not too. You choose to turn this into cheap, sensationalist entertainment where death and torture are thrown around for shock value.

It is like you have no idea how much power you have by being a professional storyteller.

Let me break it down to you. For you as a writer, perhaps killing off Izzy is nothing but an artistic choice. A plot point to figure out. But for audiences in marginalised groups, stories are mirrors. They see themselves in stories. That is how stories give them hope. This is why OFMD has never been “just a pirate story”. Perhaps this is hard to understand if you have never been part of an underrepresented community in the mainstream media, but this is how many are feeling about your work now. Your legacy.

OFMD has truly become an overnight failure. I don’t know how this happened. I would like to blame budget cuts, but your Vanity Fair interview makes me realise this is all deliberate choice.

So, what is next for us Canyonites?

If anything, this convinced me that queer and disabled people should write. And continue to write.

We can no longer trust major media to speak for us. We definitely can never trust David Jenkins again. Any form of progressiveness that he showed earlier was just coincidence, apparently. Even worse, it was fake.

As my friend Sam beautifully puts it, Izzy belongs to us now. We reclaim that character and give him all the happy endings he deserves in our fic, our art. We transform the works. We write about queer, disabled, suicidal characters the way the deserve to be written. If being a published writer is the path you choose, make sure you make wiser decisions than David Jenkins.

Thank you, sir. It was good while it lasts.

But this is a terrible job that you’re doing.

[carduelis-carduelis]

Keeping an eye on how Season 2 of OFMD affects the number of new fanfics on AO3.

Here's a graph showing the number of weekly new fanfics on AO3 since the show started airing. The data was collected by tikli on 16 Sep 2023, using the Work Search on AO3 and searching for fics that were older than X weeks, starting from “> 79 weeks”.