#engaging in fandom should make you happy and if those ships make you happy then that's great

[greenwith-ivy]

my eyes have been opened to the world of wednesday shipping discourse. wow

this is so funny because the last time i engaged in shipping discourse was in like 2016 on a wings of fire forum. when people were arguing about moonbli vs winterwatcher vs qinter vs qinterwatcher (i actually didn’t really care but i felt like i had to have an opinion so i picked moonbli because qibli and moon were my favorite characters. and i remember that when darkness of dragons came out everyone was like “no spoilers!! i haven’t read it yet don’t tell me who she ends up with!!!!!” so instead people would say that their otp was canon. which was nice except they had their otp in their signatures which kind of defeated the point. oops that was kind of a tangent my bad). ANYWAYS i forget how strong of opinions people can have about this stuff

i think the main arguments i’ve seen against wednesday with either tyler or xavier are that it felt super forced. like no chemistry there the writers just wanted to shove a love triangle into the show. which i agree with totally agree with. i hated both tyler and xavier as characters so while i’m sure there are definitely great things about these ships i don’t see them

enid and wednesday is very popular, for good reason. enid is definitely queer-coded, especially with the whole lycanthropy as a metaphor for being queer thing. werewolf conversion therapy her poor relationship with her parents because she’s not “normal” like all of that. she was also the secondary character with the most screen time (i think. that’s what it seemed like when i watched the show) and the most interactions and chemistry with wednesday. this is understandable and i respect it

tyler and xavier i think is super funny. like they interacted maybe 3 times (which i know has never stopped shippers) but also. i can accept this i think. they both suck in different ways (in my opinion) but this is how everyone wins. pair them together and no one else has to deal with them. (that’s a joke btw. i do think this ship could have merit and i’d be curious to see what people have done with it.)

wednesday/no one: my otp. wednesday is aro/ace and you can’t tell me otherwise. the best ship in the entire show.

[rweoutofthewoods]

fanfic/fandom ettiquite guide

Okay, I've seen some things recently that make me think there is some need to make a master post of some general fandom and fic ettiquite just because some people may not know and I think there's a huge wave of fanfic becoming more mainstream especially on apps like tiktok.

If you don't like it, don't engage with it!! I think this above all, is the golden rule of fandom. The internet is made for you to be able to mute, hide, and censor things you don't like. DO THAT! don't make a career off of hating things. This goes along with the three laws of fandom, which u should check out FIRST OF ALL.

DON'T GATEKEEP!! If you're posting about a fic, art, ANYTHING link it, credit it! Don't post a tiktok about a fic and then refuse to give the name. Not only are you failing to credit the creators of this content, but you're taking away from the fact that fandom is a COMMUNITY where content is meant for everyone.

Ao3 is an archive. You're going to see things you might not like or even find offensive or uncomfortable. But fanfic is not meant to be censored. Ao3 is made to be unfiltered, people can post anything and everything. Posting fics on other sites simply to shame their content not only brings MORE attention to it, but it's pointless. If you want a website that is censored go to wattpad. And of course, if you don't like it DON'T READ. You can filter your tags and warnings on ao3 so it won't show you that content.

Along those lines LEARN HOW TO USE AO3. There is no algorithm, it is not tiktok. You don't need to censor words in your tags. Your fics are not magically getting pushed out to people. Make sure you're using "person 1/person 2" for romantic relationships and "person 1 & person 2" for non-romantic relationships. Make sure things like non-con and underage are tagged under the warnings. AND AS A READER, know how to filter ships and tags to find the content you want. You can filter by kudos, certain tags, exclude certain relationships or characters etc. USE IT.

Do not create placeholder fics or other "non fics" on ao3. This is against their terms of service. You can (and probably will) be reported, this annoys people endlessly. We don't want to find a fic and open it to see "I haven't written this yet, sorry!" JUST SAVE A DRAFT OR DO IT IN A DOCUMENT? this seems like way to rack up hits, and it comes across as disingenuous, I don't see a real valid reason to make placeholders.

HOW TO WRITE AN ACCEPTABLE COMMENT: long is not important. A simple "loved this!" will make an author happy. DO NOT say any variation of "update pls?" regardless of how nice you think it is. Authors update when they can.I'm not the only author I've seen unhappy with this. JUST WAIT, either it will be updated or it won't, and either way you will live. If you have nothing nice to say about a fic?? MOVE ON. Don't leave a hate comment.

Do not rate or publicly shit on fanfic! A lot of authors know many people, and the chances of that author seeing whatever you're saying about their work is very high. If you don't like it, click off and read something else. If it's still living rent-free in your mind, that sounds like fan behavior to me. And there is no standard fics are supposed to meet, don't rate them.

Don't cross-post fics. Don't put fics on other sites, don't put translation on other sites. DON'T DO ANYTHING with a fic without checking with the author first. On that note, also don't post fics on GoodReads etc. unless an author explicitly says it's okay.

IF YOU DO NOT MARK YOUR BOOKMARKS AS PRIVATE AUTHORS CAN SEE THEM!! If you're going to say anything that isn't positive, you better mark that as private or better yet, move on. Don't say anything on a public bookmark you wouldn't want the author to read.

YOU CANNOT PROFIT OFF OF FANFIC, don't sell bound fics! Don't bind fics if the intention is to sell them. You're potentially creating a lawsuit for the authors of these fics and putting the existence of fanfic in danger. I've seen multiple authors debating taking fics down because of binding issues, just don't do it. AND IF YOU'RE BUYING BOUND FICS YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM. it's selfish and I wish bad karma upon you.

You wouldn't think I'd have to say this but don't plagiarize or use AI to create fics/art etc. firstly making ai write something IS a form of plagiarism. bUT ALSO just write your own content. If you can't, then writing fics etc. is just not for you. No shame about it!

DON'T ASK AUTHORS TO BETA FOR YOU!! You wouldn't believe how many people have asked me to beta their fics for them, I AM NOT A BETA. I HAVE a beta because my proofreading skills are shit. If someone wants to beta they will offer, or go find a blog or somewhere where people are looking to beta. Like @needabeta You can even make a post asking around for a beta, but don't go bug your favorite authors to proofread your fics.

Really just don't harass authors. Of course, don't be afraid to send nice dms, asks, or comments if their inbox is open, but don't spam them especially if they don't reply. Respect boundaries! Don't send nasty anons, everyone knows this is a sign of jealousy and obsession. You're only succeeding in making yourself look bad. Ask yourself why is this author living rent-free in your mind, hm??

If you don't like a ship, stay away from the content geared towards that ship. There's no reason for you to be in people's inbox harassing them over a ship. It's never that deep. If you truly hate it so much, go consume the content for ships you DO like.

Stay grounded. This goes to both fic authors and readers alike. Hits and popularity are not the mark of a good fic. Getting a lot of hits doesn't mean it's good and NOT getting many doesn't mean it's bad. I'm tired of seeing tiktoks asking "so what's the next big fic?" WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE A "BIG FIC"? go look through the ao3 tag and find something you like to read, it doesn't have to be what everyone else is reading.

Headcanons are not law. People can think whatever they want about the characters. If you disagree with someone's hc, just move on... and just because a headcanon is popular, doesn't mean everyone has to abide by it. Be creative!

Don't treat artists and authors like celebs! We're all in this together! We're all losers who like the same characters and ships. Of course, compliment and be kind to all creators because we put a lot of time and effort into creating fan content for you all, but don't worship anyone. Don't treat them weirdly or make a post like "omg x followed me!" that's a bit weird. If you want to be excited, dm your friends and giggle together, but acting like authors and artists etc. are celebs only creates the room for people to stop seeing them as normal people and start acting rude or entitled. And many people are uncomfortable with it!!

TLDR; stop creating so much negativity in fandom spaces. At least in MY fandom it's just constantly shitting on ships, fics, art. It's hate anons, antis, and constant fighting about every headcanon. I'M TIRED OF IT! Learn to filter out content you don't want to see, and move on with your life instead of spreading more negativity.

If you have anything you think I should add shoot me a comment or an ask and I will add it! I'm sure I didn't get everything :) this mostly applies to my own experience being in the hp/marauders fandom for a good 10+ years, and I'm sure it varies slightly from fandom to fandom.

[walnutcookie]

fandom can be awful sometimes so heres a few reminders for my beloved mutuals:

- do whatever you want forever. if its not harming anyone or yourself you are amazing and you should continue doing it if it makes you happy

- ship wars/discourse suck ass. if its not a proship its fine, if someone has a different ship than you or interprets a ship differently you dont have to fight with them.

- your ocs are the best thing on this planet and you should share them

- your oc x canon is so wonderful and lovely and you should share it

- the ocs you created to be family members of other characters are awesome and you should share them

- your headcanons and interpretations of characters are awesome and you should share them

- hit that character with the beam. you know you want to. make them trans, make them gay, make them poc, make them disabled, make them fat, whatever makes you happy

- if someone is mean to you blow them up (hit the block button)

- be nice to others. support their art, their stories, their ocs and headcanons and ships, even if you arent very interested in them. stay curious!! ask about peoples ideas, because most of the time they want to share just as much as you do

- if other people have different interpretations or ideas, you dont have to agree or disagree with them. its okay to appreciate others opinions without telling them that theyre wrong

- if anyones ships/ideas/etc make you too uncomfortable, block them.

- if someone is too annoying to see in the tags, block them.

- if anyone is mean to you, block them. especially hate anons

- write whatever you want always. draw whatever you want always. draw those girls kissing draw that enby covered in blood write about that man going to see the dentist

- draw them as furries, as dragons, as humans, as objects, whatever your heart desires

- your selfship partner loves you always

- people arent always right about characters. sometimes theyre way far from canon, and its not really your place to correct them. if it makes you too uncomfortable block them.

- some people choose to not follow canon. do what you want forever, you are always right about your blorbo. you are not limited to canon or what the fandom depicts the character as

- dont be the one to send anon hate

- its okay to be a hater and a lover. you can hatepost on your blog just as much as you lovepost. just dont main tag it (thats mean) and dont add it onto other peoples posts who like what youre hating on (thats also mean)

- if someone is hating on something you like, its best not to engage with it.

feel free to add anything i missed :] i love u mutuals you should tell me everything about your ocs and ships and headcanons forever. pls

[jonathan-cranes-mistress-of-fear]

Things to note - from a "popular" fandom blogger

I absolutely memorize urls of people who are in my notes regularly

This wasn't always the case, but now tumblr tells you who is following or a mutual. I extra love those people

BUT I also have a special place in my heart for the lurkers or tumblr users who never follow, but regularly visit my blog

Yes please spam me with notes. This is not Instagram, note spamming only effects us positively.

Reblogs over likes yes, but I will be equally happy if you like 20 posts in a row even if you don't engage

Please engage though. Ask culture dying. We (usually) love when people ask us our favorite headcanon or for clarification on canon facts. If someone doesn't want asks, they usually say so. When in doubt, send in a comment. It's always welcome.

Just because I didn't respond within five seconds doesn't mean I'm ignoring you. I do have a life. But also, sometimes it's hard to respond for whatever reason (thanks autism) I do see your kind words and I love them. I'm not mad at you either. I'm just exhausted 24/7 However please understand that I do not owe you my presence all hours of the day. Yes, even if we are close friends.

Please treat me how you want to be treated.

I have almost 90,000 posts, mostly reblogs, but I have a lot of content and I do not mind you doom scrolling. In the same vain, do not assume I was the same person that posted one, two, five or ten years ago. Going through my blog to find "problematic" content only wastes time and tells me you think people are incapable of growth and change. Do better.

Keeping a schedule is tantamount to keeping people engaged and them building a following. Whether you post one a week or daily, or like me--almost hourly--people will come no matter your content if you give them a Reason to come.

No matter how unpopular the thing you are blogging about it's there is ALWAYS an audience. It's never a wasted effort to be creative and put your voice out there. Please, the fandom gets stale without new creators and ideas.

On that note, you are not stealing from another for making the same or similar content. That means you should gif that show that's already been gif'd dozens of times over. You should draw that comic of a popular headcanon/ship. You should write your story. As long as you are doing things in your own words/style and not outright copying word for word or sketch per sketch, you're fine. Two cakes are ALWAYS Better than one.

Being angry and spending your time hating/attacking/vague blogging about other creators only hurts you in the long run. jealously is a normal emotion, but when you let it take over your happiness you're only falling deeper into a pit that's already hard to get out of. (trust me)

Please, please, please do what makes you happy. Life should not be wasted on anger. You don't need popularity to be happy, sometimes it can be hella stressful. (take my word for it) Don't become the bully you wish you where in middle school. Spread kindness, support artist and creators. (this includes gif makers, image editors, amv makers, writers, OCs, etc)

Just. Have fun.

[epickiya722]

Do you like this open ending though? I personally do. I feel like it ended on a hopeful note and it's kind of up to our imagination where it goes from there. Unless there is a sequel to this story lol. But really though, I think with such a strong fanbase where most fans are concerned with the romance mainly, I think this should be the better option for those who prioritize that aspect of it. Was the news of the contest you were expecting in terms of the special project?

I did! As I said, I like having that room just to imagine the what if's of not just what happens after the story, but also what happens during those eight years.

From a writer's standpoint, leaving openings like that allow the reader to imagine what could fill into those blank spaces. It's what makes a story engaging. It what makes the readers feel welcome to open their minds.

Which, now that I'm thinking about it, is so weird that some people in the mind actually had a problem with the openings.

... they were already filling in those blank before so now it's a problem?

Acting like a bunch of Zuko's when he was talking about "where's the rest of it".

People having been writing fics and coming up with theories about the what if's of MHA long before the ending and now that the story practically gave the green light to do that... IT'S A PROBLEM?!

Like, people were upset about Izuku being Quirkless, but some of those same people were probably the ones writing fics of Izuku losing his Quirk or never having one and going through worse situations than he does in canon.

"He's a loser" and yet I bet you wrote a fic were he never got a bit of hope in his life and Inko is a bad mom and whatever else to practically punish Izuku for existing.

And as much as I enjoy having my ships, I did not care for any to be canon because I didn't get into MHA for that. I didn't get into it looking for a romance.

Horikoshi leaving those ships up for interpretation is perfect for those who really are that concerned about the romance.

Honestly, I was just more happy to see my favorite alive.

For these past few months, I've noticed that the fandom will hate on something in canon and then that very same thing they're like "oh, what a masterpiece" in fanon.

It's not even about the execution! It's just "I can do what I want with these characters but not you because I know them better even though they're your characters". I don't even mean that in a joking manner.

Some people feel this ownership of characters with these versions of them that isn't even that character and get upset because the original creator doesn't abide what they want. It's ridiculous.

Sorry, went on a little ramble there.

Now for the project, I actually wasn't aware of a big announcement of a project until literally the day of and it broke out it would be voting on characters. Like at that moment. So I was surprised! Very!

[shikariiin]

A warning to all!

Hi!!! I know it's not necessary, and I don't ever make a post about this, but I just want to give fair warning towards an account in tumblr that I'm pretty sure is a troll? If not it's a pretty sad of a person, by the username of skipo123.

As far as telling people to 'kys' and is very very much homophobic, often targeting those who humanize and/or ship engines, I've had my art reblogged too but it's not as bad as these ones below, they've been engaging in hate speech and overall blatant bullying in the thomas and friends fandom.

A fandom should be a place where people can express free creativity and building communication as long as it doesn't cross any moral lines (i.e pedophilia), people should be allowed to draw artworks that make them happy, Giving headcanons, shipping characters, and those who prefer sticking to the show's original content can do as so.

The reason why I'm posting this is because I don't want any of my followers to engage with this behavior as it would just make them more rambunctious, or even be hurt by them, please don't spread hate towards them, just block and move on, thank you! Below are some examples of said behavior :

[skyloftian-nutcase]

So I’m kinda curious, I know you said you are not much of a shipping person (aside from like SkSw Zelink and Miphlink) but are there any of the popular ships that stand out either as ones you think are cute or ones you really do not like?

Hmmm 🤔 I’m fairly neutral or just meh about most, but I guess there are a few that stand out? Or maybe I should just list my opinions on the major ones I know of?

BotW Zelink - I don’t mind it post Calamity. Not really into it pre-calamity, it feels like it’s at the expense of a relationship that’s already there (Mipha and Link). But dang the two definitely would be close after the calamity, given that they’re the only ones who have such a shared experience. I could see it being romantic or platonic, and there’s kind of a heavy leaning towards romantic but then totk also makes it seem platonic sometimes too?? Whatever. Nintendo likes to be vague (except Skyward Sword, let’s be real, nothing about that was vague lol), but I can see it happening after everything.

Midlink - I think it’s sweet. I think in canon Link’s most likely gonna either be with Ilia or someone we don’t even see in the game as he travels, but Midna definitely could’ve had a chance with him if there’d been more time for them. They had good chemistry, and the physical attraction was clearly there when Link saw her true form.

OoT Zelink - Nope. Especially Adult Timeline, absolutely not. It’s a pet peeve of mine that people ship this Link with anyone in the Adult Timeline - he is a child in a teenager’s body. NO. Sure, his body might be attracted to people, but his brain sure ain’t figuring it out, and anybody who wants to explore that just… no. NO. As for Child Timeline, I feel like this Link has a hard time reconciling what happened, has a hard time letting go, and would therefore have a really difficult time separating Child Timeline Zelda from Adult Timeline Zelda and that would lead to too many mixed feelings. I can’t see them getting together. This ship is either entirely one sided (I can 100% see Adult Timeline Zelda romanticizing the Hero she’s been waiting for before she really realizes that he’s still a kid, if she ever realizes it) or nonexistent.

Malink - I quite like it. I honestly didn’t really see it in the game, there’s like… enough for it to happen, I guess, but admittedly Linked Universe has made me biased. But given that it’s heavily implied TP Link and OoT Link are related, and TP Link knows Epona’s song, and Malon was a friend of Link’s, and she talks of marrying a knight in shining armor, and Shade is a knight in shining armor… I can put two and two together. And I think they’d be cute together.

Sidlink - Just… why. I get that half the fandom is in love with Sidon, so they project that, but good grief. Link was engaged to his sister. That’s some Hamlet level incest nonsense there. Link may not remember Mipha all that well but Sidon freaking does. Just because the dude is ridiculously sweet and supportive to literally everyone and about literally everything doesn’t mean he’s romantically inclined towards everyone. He’s a golden retriever, there are two brain cells firing between those fins, let the man just be happy and vibe, good grief. I had this opinion before totk came out, and then the addition of Yona made me laugh because I knew the fandom would blow up about it, but she’s honestly really sweet and good for him - I loved when she called him out to help him, she’s a good wife, I like her 😤

Uh… I think those are all the popular ships I have any kind of actual opinions about? Aside from Skyward Sword Zelink and Miphlink, love them both, mwuah. The rest I’m just meh. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Honestly, I’m very inclined to say that just because two people share oxygen together doesn’t mean they’re gonna fall in love. Just because two people might have some chemistry doesn’t mean they’re gonna fall in love. And just because two hormonal teenagers think each other is hot does not mean they’re gonna end up together. But since romance is such a huge thing in fandoms and in our culture, and I am very much not in a romantic relationship and therefore the culture makes me feel like my life is incomplete, I am not very inclined to get into shipping all that much (translation: sometimes shipping is downright annoying to me, and I hate it when fandoms ship characters together just because they like each other as if other relationships can’t even exist or be meaningful), even the ones that I love. My biggest weakness is loving families, though, so that’s usually where I cheat lol.

[sister-lucifer]

Genuinely curious why someone who seems to sexualize (fictional) serial killers and (fictional) murderers draws the line at "proship" stuff, which is also very much fictional? Aren't most horror characters actively problematic? Or is it virtue signaling with little knowledge of what "proship" actually is, you're just trying to show that you're not like "other" freaks, even if you're cut from the same cloth. Lumping people who ship weird stuff in Fandom spaces in with literal nazis is such a silly take. It just trivializes the sentiment when you say that you believe real life nazis are on par with people who engage with dark topics in fiction. You're a "proshipper" by the very nature of the fandoms you're in, as horror is the most "problematic" a medium there is.

[tws for discussion of sex abuse, gore and incest under the cut]

pro shipping is the attempt to normalize things like incest and pedophilia within shipping and fandoms. while yes these characters are fictional, and i completely support the existence of dark content as a medium to explore these topics, my issue is with the fact that proshippers want to treat incestuous and pedophilic relationships as normal. there’s no trigger warnings on proship content, no indication or attempt to keep these things away from those it could harm (pro shipping is also super common in fandoms of kids shows, like steven universe and MLP, which is super worrying for obvious reasons). There’s a difference between writing something dark to explore its existence vs writing about a father raping his young daughter as though it’s a completely normal and healthy relationship. that sort of content pushes the idea that children can consent and want sex, and often pushes blame onto victims of assault. with no tws or any sort of attempts to guard this content, and the fact that the way it’s written actively seeks to normalize these actions, it’s incredibly dangerous.

i expanded more on this sort of idea in this post (and there’s a follow up here if that matters idk), which i highly recommend anyone who’s questioning this sort of thing reads and takes a look at the other things linked in said post, because i do think it’s important to have these discussions. there’s a difference between normalizing and exploration. everything i write has a content/warnings section. i don’t want gore porn to be normalized, which should be inherently clear by the fact that all of my dark fiction has a wide array of trigger warnings on it to make sure no one thinks it’s normal or will accidentally stumble upon it. i’m happy to have my niche little community, but i would never want something so shocking to be easily stumbled upon by someone who didn’t want to see it.

there’s a difference between writing something dark or disturbing while actively advertising the fact that it’s not for everyone, vs posting “ship” art of a child being abused and acting like it’s so cute and perfect. someone who didn’t know better could take that to heart.

sex abuse is real and rampant in our society, and it affects and hurts people every day. that’s different than fake serial killers.

also…i fail to see how having both nazis and proship on my dni is equating them? youre allowed to put whatever you want on your dni. i’ve seen people with “creepypasta fans” right next to “proshippers” on their dni, and i don’t say anything, i just move on. it’s not my business why they don’t want those people interacting with them; maybe it’s because they had a bad experience in that fandom, maybe it’s because they don’t want to see gore, maybe it’s because the stories just unsettle them, why do i care? it’s not a personal attack against me, it’s just their prerogative. it’s not my place to argue with them, they can put whatever they want on their dni and it’s not my place to try and change their mind. they’re not equating or lumping in anything, they just don’t want those people interacting with them. and that’s fair enough.

it’s also a bit of a stretch to call horror a “problematic” medium when the very nature of it is meant to be disgusting and scary. if its disgusts and scares you…..good?

you’ll never find me in someone’s inbox trying to change their mind about what they are or are not comfortable with, i just block and move on, like everyone should really. i’ve seen some seriously dogshit takes on this site, and despite how absolutely abhorrent they are, i just block and move on. it’s easier, safer and happier that way.

if you really care this much, you can make your own post about it, or come out of your anonymous box and talk to me for real. i sure as hell don’t care that much, so i won’t guarantee you’ll get a response.

seriously though, if you hate me that much, just block me and move on. in fact, i actively support people blocking me. it reduces conflict, and i know that my content isn’t for everyone, and that’s totally okay.

i don’t want this response to come off as angry or indignant because really these sort of discussions are important, i just can’t say with my whole heart that you sent this ask because you wanted to talk; you sent it because you’re angry at me for what you perceive to be a slight against you or something you believe in. i get it. but believe me, you get a lot more out of life when you remove the things that make you upset instead of trying to argue with them. start caring less and blocking liberally 👍

[rjalker]

i feel like people should be able to care about literature without woobified yaoi. like nothing against shipping but idk its a bit odd that seems to be some folks only motivation to engage with flatland

Yeah it's just flat out refusing to actually engage with the story at all, because they literally just want to do the Roving M/M Ship of Fandoms Past.

I would rather these people just make up completely original characters to play with if they're not going to think about any of the morals and lessons of Flatland at all. Most of the story is taken up by political commentary criticizing systems of oppression. These people don't want to engage with any of those ideas at all. Not even in regards to their "shape yaoi". They just want to do the exact same Roving M/M Ship as any other fandom and it's infuriating.

@walks-the-ages has made many posts about this, specifically about the absolute absurdity of the way many people reacted to the movie Nope.

This is why I dread the day a series that I literally will not even mention by name here to help forestall the disaster, ever gets a movie adaptation, because I just know that shipping-obsessed people with no critical thinking skills will bulldoze past all of the horror to just pretend it's all super happy and cutesy and shippy.

Shipping is fine as long as you don't let it get in the way of actually engaging with the story that is being told. And that seems to be what is happening with most of the new people in the Flatland tag. They do not care about any of the politics or what the book has to say, they just want their shitpost shape yaoi and don't care about anything else.

It is insulting. Because this is a book literally advocating for equal rights and decrying systems of oppression, but people are just erasing all of that and just want to make shitposts instead.

When they could be doing that about any other fandom out there whose original book is not so strongly political. There's no reason for them to do it about Flatland if they don't care about the politics.

It's public domain, so you *can* ignore all of the politics and make it only about shipping if you really want to. But why in the absolute hell would you want to do that?

Why would you want to take a story that so strongly advocates for equal rights for women, intersex people, disabled people, people of color, and more, and get rid of all of that, to make it into nothing but shitposts about rich cis white guys?

It's very clear that most of the new people are still basing all of their thoughts of this book on the 2007 film, which erased all of the politics to make it purely about absurdist humor.

[ID: The “missing the point” meme, now with a picture of the original cover for the book Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions saying, “Racism, ableism, misogyny, and classism are bad.”, with the yellow A Sphere from the 2007 Flatland film staring at it in open-mouthed shock, exclaiming, “Wow!!! Shitpost shape yaoi!!!” while the point flies over his head. End ID.]

Ignoring the politics to make shitposts about shape yaoi is not actually a better reaction to this book than what Ladd Ehlinger, infamously racist and misogynistic conservative, did with the 2007 film when he erased all of the politics to make it purely about absurdist humor. Which is what shitposts are.

It would be great if people could actually think about that for a second and realize what the problem is with their behavior but I guess that's asking too much. It always is with the kind of people who don't care about a story at all, only how much shipping material they can get out of it.

This is one of the reasons I hate most fandoms. Most Fandom people do not actually care about the story they're supposedly in the fandom for, they just want to ship two white guys and ignore everything else, even when it means ignoring the actual female protagonist, even when it means whitewashing the protagonist and misgendering it and the guy they're shipping it with, even when it means they're woobifying, as you said earlier, a rich white guy who literally advocates for starving slaves to death while they are tortured in elementary schools.

It seems like these people do not actually give a shit about Flatland at all. They are only here to make shitposts about shape yaoi, even when it means they're woobifying the guy who's 100% pro slavery and pretending he's just a wet noodle silly guy who's never done anything wrong in his life.

Really, how do you read Flatland and come to the conclusion, "I love this misogynistic man?"

If you are glossing over all of the political themes of the book, and even the most basic characterization of the narrator as a raging bigot because it gets in the way of your shipping, that is in fact you being a bigot. If you take a story that is about fighting for equal rights for everyone and throw all of that away to focus solely on two white guys, that's just bigotry, plain and simple.

Especially when they're woobifying the guy who not only owns slaves, but thinks they should be starved to death to help reduce their numbers.

[sisyphusunderthesun]

Hey man, I saw your post about all the hatred online for Hankcon, and I'm sorry to hear how negatively it impacts you. As a lurker in the fandom, I am so grateful to people like you for keeping the ship alive. If it's of any consolation, I think the people hating on the ship are usually very young people, or people with a really immature mindset. The internet these days is an incredibly toxic place, and that sort of behaviour is being normalised and encouraged for the younger generations by the most popular platforms for algorythm and engagement purposes. I don't think it's worth arguing with immature bad faith actors like them, and people with such a mindset have a poor understanding of seperating a fictional healthy age gap adult relationship from real life dysfunctional grooming of a minor. It's never fun to experience online hate, especially from a community that is supposed to bring you joy, but in my experience the healthiest way of coping is by simply ignoring their screeching and block them. It feels good not to steep down on their level. Obviously you should react in a way that works best for you, but I wanted to let you know that you don't deserve recieving hate or judgement for enjoying what you enjoy. Thanks for all your dope artwork! <3

I am really gratefull for this message. And it's true about the Internet, that was one of the reasons why I've been staying away from the social media for so many years despite the fact I've been on hankcon's side since the year the game came out. But I really wanted to share my love for hankcon and since my drawing skills improved within those years, I thought it would be nice to share my art too. I still hope that there is some good in people and that one day they will understand that our boys deserve nothing but love and comfort and happiness and that hating them makes no sense.

[belong2human-kind]

Hey guys, Clara here!! How are you??

I'm here to talk about something more serious right now. But don't worry!

As someone who is deeply in love with the SW Rebels saga since even before the first airing and someone who has accompanied all of the development of this amazing expansion of the Star Wars' universe, I want to say that this is one of the most diverse community I've met, and this makes me really happy about how so many different beings share the same interest and passion for this show as I do 🧡

So.. my profile won't lie huh? I'm down for a ship of this show so so bad, and if you, person on the other side reading this, still don't know what I'm talking about, let me tell you: I'm a biig sabezra shipper and fan! Since the first time I saw these two interact, I feel in love with their dynamics. And as the show continued, the sentiment that they could be one of the healthiest pairings of the entire saga only grew more. I love both characters individually, Ezra and Sabine, and also love them as a couple.

Joining tumblr and being active here about them, I entered the community and even dared to share my weird thoughts and stuff and own creations about this universe I love so much. I was so so so motivated by amazing people who gave me support to show my little creations, and I made truly wonderful friends here on the ship community that I'll cary for life. I won't lie that I am very eager about this ship so whoever I see engaging in Sabezra, I tend to follow XD (I hope this isn't too weird heh ^^)

I'm here to talk about two things.

1. I am very thankful for the friends I've made on the ship community and the series community as a whole too. Also, the majority of people I interact with are absurdly amazing, kind and sweet, and as I said, it's really touching and heartwarming to me to know that such a different and diverse community is united by one specific passion about SW. You guys are amazing, stay awesome 🧡💜

2. This being said, unfortunately, things can get a little heated up about some topics, specifically the ones involving pairings. So, I'm here to talk/ask, all of the people who, like me, are part of this community, to just remember that, at the end of the day, it doesn't matter who you support your character with or without: we are still united by the same interest, this one being the love for those characters with such deep, unique and touching stories.

The Ghost Crew is a family, and we, the fandom, are kinda like a big one too. So what I'm here to ask is: Hey, be kind to each other 🌻 Different opinions exist, but this is not only fine, this is amazing. It'd be boring if everyone on earth loved Rebels or even my favorite ship, sabezra, because if everyone did then it wouldn't be something so unique and especial, and it is. As I said before, this community is so diverse! We can enjoy different things, we actually should do that! But, by the end of the day, we're just a bunch of people who love star wars. I think we can all agree on that ^^

That being said, I also apologize. I try to not engage with any hate spreading messages, and I know that there are quite a few here on both the shipping communities and the entire community too. Nothing can really justify being mean to someone (at least that's what I believe and try to hold myself on) but I know that we never know what's really happening behind the screen for someone, even if they share. Life can be tough, I know this myself. So I apologize for all of my friends and community colleagues that might have hurt on others, and also, apologize on myself as well if I did let this happen too. As much as I try always being kind, I'm still a human, with ups and downs and one that can make some mistakes too. I try my best to make people around me (physically and virtually) to feel comfortable and embraced because I think everyone deserves that. But at the same time, we can hurt people intentionally and unintentionally so easily :( So yeah, I apologize for that. And I hope we can interact with each other with kindness and respect. I think this is one of the most important things to do as a human: be gentle to others and the nature around you.

Uhh I speak so much :'n It's 2am now and I have class tomorrow, my adhd brain is still running on circles on my head LOL so I'll be off for now. Keep awesome guys! And stay safe 🌻

[sonik-kun]

I feel a level of accountability needs to be had amongst certain wangxian stans, particularly in regards to how some of them make us JC fans feel and have us reluctant to engage with the mainstream part of the fandom due endless hounding and bullying..

Yes, for Twitter users, this is about that one poll that is going around and the conversations I've seen amongst moots about the poll..

After reading what I've read this week.. I just need to get something off my chest about how icky this fandom is sometimes and how it has us JC fans feeling all the time. So bear with me whilst I rant. It's a lot to unpack, but it has to be said.. So here I go..

So for those who dont know, there's this poll going around on twitter for best DILF/MILF.. Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji both happen to be in that poll.

To both the surprise and excitement of us JC fans, JC is doing well.. However.. So is LWJ.. and so, of course, the possibility of them two coming head to head hangs over us..

And now, in the semi-finals, JC is up against Toji from JJK, LWJ is up against Loid from Spy x Family. It seems LWJ is going to win his.. and JC fans, as a result.. Have felt the need to step away and let Toji take the win.. In fear of backlash and what's to come for our fanbase, if LWJ and JC were to face each other in the finals..

Throughout the entire tournament, we already saw a few nasty remarks from these antis, rearing their ugly heads. So we could only imagine what it would be like should the two be put up against each other.

The fact that we as a fanbase feel the need to let another character win so our favourite doesn't recieve any backlash is both upsetting and really telling of what this fandom has been reduced to.

The fact of the matter is, it shouldn't have to be this way. Us JC fans shouldn't have to be afraid to vote for our favourite character, to see him do well and win and to enter his name or his ships into other tournaments. We should be able to enjoy ourselves and have fun, free of any fandom drama and bullying. The same freedom wangxian fans get to enjoy.

I know it's just a twitter poll, and it doesn't really mean anything, but.. It's just so disheartening seeing your moots feel that way about a character they should be allowed to enjoy.. Honestly, the whole thing has just left a bad taste in my mouth.. I wasn't really a fan of LWJ due to some of his fanbase.. But the nasty attitudes I've seen in this poll, amongst many, have only further solidified that stance..

To the kind and normal wangxian fans out there, I am sorry if you are reading this. I'm not tarring you with this lot. But I hope you all understand that this is the position of most JC fans rn. We do not trust most of you because, unfortunately, the toxic but very vocal minority speaks the loudest.

It really is ruining the whole fandom experience and making MDZS look like a joke and I think that is a conversation that needs to be had.

JC fans aren't the only ones who feel this way. Anyone outside of Wangxian feels very alienated by some of the fans of the main ship.

As a result, a lot of us are afraid to enjoy our characters the same way wangxian fans do.

No Wangxian fan would ever feel afraid to enter their fave into a mainstream poll, and rightfully so. So why should we feel afraid? Why can't we enjoy our characters the same way?

Sorry, this is all mostly me rambling, but.. I just couldn't sit there and not address all the ick.. Especially whilst I was having so much fun, seeing JC doing so well and my moots being so happy as a result..

Note: Just to make it clear, in case I haven't already, I'm not upset with the JC fans who chose to no longer vote for JC towards the end of the tournament. Giving all the bullying and backlash we receive, I can see why you wouldn't want him to win for that reason. A part of me felt the same way, too. I just wish it didn't have to be that way.. It just sucks to see that some people can't behave and let others have their fun :(

[mrfancyfoot]

Healthy Reminder to Not Feed the Trolls.

I think especially younger fandom members and creators need to hear this because it's not advice that I see nearly as often anymore and part of that may be because my gen (Millennials) heard it a lot and often take it as Just Something You Know (though I think we also sometimes need the reminder). But we're older now and there are those younger than us that may not have the experience we do, especially if we just assume they know better (and younger and younger people are online now). It's part of Online Safety 101. I've linked to a couple resources near the bottom.

A troll is someone who shows up in a space and is purely there to upset someone and cause drama/chaos. All they're seeking is attention and the enjoyment they get from upsetting you. They do not care about facts, your feelings, or anything else you throw at them. They will argue in bad faith. They will commit the cardinal sin of Being Wrong on the Internet. They will accuse you of committing the cardinal sin of Being Wrong on the Internet. They will make fun of your favorite character, your art, your writing, you, your friends, your dog, any and everything. They will tell you that how you enjoy or interpret your favorite thing(s) is Wrong or Bad. They love to cause drama in and between groups. Peaceful coexistence is often what they want to disrupt.

Some spaces will unfortunately draw more trolls than others.

In this PSA, I'm not quite referring to the "trolling" term that is also used interchangeably to mean "joking" or "fooling around" with the intent to get a raise out of someone but not necessarily to upset them. Though that can easily lead to this.

Resist the Urge to Feed Them. ("Feed them" being "give them attention.")

Don't give them attention by responding to them or giving them any kind of space on your blog/page/whatever. That's what they want. That's what they live off of. They want the hate because it means they've gotten under your skin and in your head and that makes them happy. They may have an agenda, they may have no specific agenda.

This can be so hard because it's natural to feel the need to defend yourself, someone else, and/or the things you enjoy. It can feel good to correct or engage someone who comes at you swinging. But they often don't stop. They will keep leeching your time and energy, especially if you allow them to.

You lose nothing by not engaging them. They bring nothing of value.

Engaging them can bring drama and hurt in your spaces and this may not only affect you. This can tear apart fandom spaces, cause rifts in groups, and pit people against each other. And then you're all unhappy and you have these negative associations of interacting with something that previously brought you joy. It causes people to stop creating, to stop engaging with others in the fandom, and to even leave fandoms.

And that is the goal of many trolls.

If you feel the need to address something they've said publicly, do not link their post/message/blog/name/etc. You want to give them as little of the attention as possible - you're addressing the accusation/concern/subject/whatever specifically, not them. Don't even relate it back to them if you can prevent it.

Some very non-exhaustive examples of what can be trolling behaviors:

They leave nastygrams in your inbox/Ask box.

They leave negative comments or reblogs on your post.

They leave unsolicited "critique."

They'll tell you that how you interpret X is wrong.

"Your blorbo would never do that!"

"X should never be shipped with Y!"

Antis (the people or groups that don't agree with certain content and try to get others to stop making/sharing it [being anti-X doesn't make you a troll, but going into the space for X and telling those people that they're wrong for liking X is trolling/harassment])

Someone comes into your fandom niche and tells you all that You're Wrong

They may behave inappropriately or send inappropriate things

They don't always use provocative language - they may be very polite (all the easier to make you seem like the unreasonable one if they do get a rise out of you). Still trolling.

They'll do or say things to try to get support from others in order to turn it on you/someone or pit "sides" against each other

They may lie and/or try to spread rumors

"You/they made this with A.I!" is a common accusation towards artists/writers I'm seeing now that has absolutely been picked up by trolls and is unfortunately spreading (please always make sure that you are informed and don't jump on the hate wagon just because you see others doing so - do your own research and demand credible sources/proof [learn what "proof" is per context]). I've seen this kind of accusation disrupt artists' livelihoods just based on someone's say-so that others piled on with no credible claims.

It is okay to have differences.

People are allowed to be Wrong on the Internet, but that doesn't mean that they're owed a response or that you can't delete their comments. You can delete comments on your page just because you feel like it (though "I don't like it." or "This makes me feel uncomfortable." are perfectly fine, non-exhaustive reasons).

If you don't engage them, they will often simply go away. You're not fun if you don't give them attention. You're not going to change their behavior (please don't waste your time trying). Some may try harder to get you to notice or reply to them, but they generally won't stick around for long. They'll move on.

Curate your blog/social/fandom space. (You'll be so much happier and healthier for it.)

Do not engage them.

Block them.

Report them.

Delete their DMs, comments, etc.

Use the moderation tools that you have.

You are under no obligation to accept every 'friend' request, or allow everyone to 'follow' you or engage with you on social media or let into your Discord server or into your little fandom or Tumblr friend group, etc etc. If someone is causing drama, kick them out! Don't feel the need to keep giving them chances to behave, either. Don't be afraid to put your foot down and be firm.

If they pop their head back up (maybe even under a new name), block them again, report them again, delete their messages again. Do not engage. Move on. Dealing with trolls is often like playing whack-a-mole. Send them to the void with the spambots.

You will be happier not engaging them.

Honestly, the above works in similar scenarios, too (not just random strangers)!

Uncle Joe keeps ranting on your page and upsetting you and/or your friends? Delete his comments. Block/unfriend him. Don't feel obligated to keep troublesome family members involved on your social media. Or even in your life.

If the above is someone that you can't simply block (there are valid reasons), sites like Facebook allow you to make lists that you can use to control who sees which of your posts.

You may have to remind your friends, followers, or others in the fandom to not feed the trolls.

You are the moderator of your own spaces. If this is a public space or a private group space that you don't control, politely inform a moderator or someone who has the authority to deal with the troll (sometimes all you can do is hit a report button and/or block them).

Learn the moderation and safety tools that you do have for the platform/app you're using:

How to unfollow/unfriend someone

How to report and block someone

How to turn off read receipts for things like chats and emails

How to turn off online status

How to contact site staff

How to turn off reblogs/comments/etc

How to turn off anonymous/guest messages or comments

How to delete comments

How to moderate comments, etc, on your works (ex: AO3 has an option for all story comments to be approved before they're posted on your work)

How to privatize your profile

How to back up and delete your content

How to filter content

Thoroughly read through all settings (I recommend doing this periodically as settings frequently get updated or change)

Learn where and who you can turn to for help

Read the platform's FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions), Rules, and Terms of Service (TOS)

Etc

And again, They will Argue in Bad Faith.

They may accuse you of not being fair, of not allowing them to participate, of leaving them out, of ignoring them, of not "liking" them, of being "mean" to them, of your silence "agreeing" with them or meaning they're "right." They may accuse you of being a bad person or condoning bad things IRL. They may accuse you of any number of wild things. They may say they're just "being the devil's advocate" or of defending their own fandom interests. They may call you names and insult you. They may say that they have private information about you that they'll leak/share or that they'll do X if you don't do Y - this is almost certainly a bluff, but this is part of why it's important to protect your private information and be careful about what you post online. They may say that something you've done is illegal and that they're going to report you to the police (again, very likely bluffing just to scare you). They may even say that they'll harm themselves. There's a lot of crossover between spammer/scammer and troll tactics (often they are one and the same).

That's what they do.

Don't take their words personally.

They just want to guilt you into allowing them to stay and continue causing drama.

It is okay to give people chances.

But you do not need to keep giving them chances.

In your spaces, you don't even need to give them a chance or an explanation.

I have become very liberal with how I deal with trolls. I block on sight in many cases. I don't give them ground to even start if it can be helped. But part of that is just due to experience - you gain the ability to recognise them pretty fast (a lot of it is simply pattern recognition), the difficult part is usually in how you choose to deal with them.

If someone is being particularly problematic, keep a paper trail (like screen shotting their messages with time stamps), but otherwise block+report is usually still the thing to do. If they are threatening harm to you, someone else, or themselves, report them (if you're a minor, tell a trusted adult). If you don't know what to do or you're scared, reach out to someone you trust for support. Trolling is a form of online bullying that can escalate to other forms of harrassment - a majority of the time, simply not engaging them helps prevent this, otherwise know that tools and resources are available for help. Just because it's "online" doesn't mean it isn't real or impactful or can't have "real life" consequences - there are agencies (like the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center) that you can file a report with or contact for help.

Have fun, be safe!

[satancopilotsmytardis]

Hate to start the day doing this, but some reminders for boundaries:

Please do not share with me or on my posts details about your mental health, about your experiences with BDSM, or excessive personal information. We do not know each other, and this is a place to talk about fictional characters. People are welcome to discuss kinks here surrounding Shigadabi because that is what my writing is dedicated to, but please do not share personal information that I haven't asked for or consented to learning about.

Please do not use my blog or stories as a source for education. I am writing about fictionalized settings in which the things depicted will never be fully accurate or true to life. Taking advice from my writing, ESPECIALLY when it comes to entering a BDSM dynamic, can be dangerous for you and your partner(s). Please find actual educational resources to ensure your safety before you proceed. Even when I do talk about my own research, I do not do so with the amount of detail and specificity to be a reliable source of education. If you have sources like this, please do not share them through my blog, as this creates mixed signals about the content that is posted here.

If you are uncomfortable with dark material such as sexual assault, rape, all forms of abuse, physical and mental torture, involuntary body modification, etc., and the possible romanticization of these topics, then it is in your best interest to leave my blog. I do enjoy writing and discussing dark topics because I find them to be interesting avenues for storytelling. When I write a full story, I tag this content appropriately, and I do not owe anyone an explanation over why I choose to engage with these these or justify why they appear in my writing. It's fine if these are topics that you do not want to engage with or that you find morally reprehensible. If that is the case, then leaving/unfollowing/blocking me are all appropriate ways to avoid seeing this kind of content in the future. Anything else, such as belittling myself or others on my posts, sending comments or DMs that ridicule or demand an explanation for my writing of these topics, or messages that convey your disapproval and tell me that you won't be engaging with a story because of a topic, are not appropriate and will have you permanently blocked from my blog. You are welcome to your boundaries and criticism, but I do not have to be a place that hosts it.

Please do not recommend fanfics to me. As I've talked about before, once I'm in deep for a fandom or ship, I stop reading any other writing about the ship. I do this specifically because I don't want to take the ideas, intentionally or unintentionally, from other writers, so I am never going to read a recommendation. I'm so glad that you have other writers and stories that bring you joy, and you should absolutely post about those stories either directly talking to the writer in the form of comments/asks, or create a recommendations list so that you can share that joy with other people as well! But my blog isn't a suitable place for it.

My goal here is to share what I love (kinky Shigadabi fanfic with a heaping dollop of introspection) and hopefully provide some fun for those of you who have chosen to join me! If at any point my content no longer makes you happy or causes you joy to engage with, you owe me absolutely nothing, and you should pursue that joy elsewhere! You will not hurt my feelings for doing so because we don't know each other!

I want to add that, overall, the community that is forming here has been incredibly kind, supportive, and respectful, and that logging on and answering asks or talking about the latest brain worm that's been chewing holes in our heads has been a consistent highlight of my life for many months now. Thank you to all of you who have been making this a joyful place to share kinky Shigadabi content 🩵

[ride-thedragon]

The people in the Hotd fandom will push for a romantic relationship between Jace and Cregan or Jace and Sara and, in the same breath, say that Daemon and Nettles should be platonic. Either way, they're sidelining black women in romantic narratives to center white couples.

With Jace and Cregan, somehow, we've managed to discredit mlm relationships by saying it isn't cheating or that Baela would be okay with it and allow for male friendships and mentor roles to go unfulfilled for the sake of romance.

It's funnier when you think about the people saying that Daemon and Nettles shouldn't be romantic because it would lessen the narrative between them of they are romantic or that we need more male female friendships that aren't romantic. It goes off into the tangents of a mentor mentee relationship and father daughter one as well. Then, we can't prioritize romance because of Rhaenyra and Daemon's relationship.

See why I'm having a hard time believing y'all care about them? A lot of you would rather these men stay and regress in these relationships than establish them in character building relationships with black women.

We prioritize friendships between people who take baths together but not with men who want to marry their kids to each other and make blood pacts to keep that promise.

With Sara as well, in the show timeline, Jace is 2 days into his engagement with Baela, a role which he prioritized immediately after it was announced. So, about a month into it, he's just stepping away? During a war, when he knows those marriages just secured house Velayron?

His biggest characterization is his insecurity about his bastardy. Would he go out of his way to get with one and then marry her? Making her his queen?

Not when, Mr. Dragons recognize blood, not titles with his dragonseed plan, makes a huge mistake and miscalculation with giving peasants dragons, I think he makes enough mistakes in his life, for me at least.

I don't see how adding Sara romantically adds anything at all, other than a romance that doesn't play into anything later on.

I want to add that it does add to these women and their characters to be in these relationships and actively participate in them.

Baela is going out of her way to push for her and Jace to be married even after seeing her parents' marriage and subsequently their parents' marriage. Choosing to be with the boy who, without hesitation, stood up and fought for her twice against his uncles.

Nettles being called ugly through the narrative, always alluded to be in compromising positions all throughout her life and whose sexual relationships are often treated as a bartering system to gain something, being with a Targaryen prince who prioritizes her happiness and safety. Someone who goes out of their way to be at her side after very traumatic events .

(If you feel the need to explain, go ahead, but it doesn't make sense to me for his character or the timeline in the show. )

I just would like to say it's strange behavior to go out of your way to justify taking relationships and character developments away from black characters for the sake of white ships.

Me to you guys because criticism is often read as condemnation here, and I'm very immature when responding to it now.

[supercalime]

I always think some of these buddie shippers never had any friends or a best friend. They say they have been in love all this time but there were really no signs. They point at moments (often vulnerable ones) where they look at each other with “hearth eyes”. Like of course they are flattered to hear reassuring words from each other. They are best friends, they love each other platonically. Buck has the same reaction when maddie or bobby say those things to him. If they actually were in love this whole time, there would’ve been so much more signs. Of course they love each other and maybe they’re even platonic soulmates but they’ve never been IN love whith each other. Not once where they bothered or jealous when the other one had a girlfriend. They don’t touch or hug each other weirdly often and if they do touch each other it’s clearly the exact same way every friends would do. Never longer than necessary or weird or underlying sexual or romantic. Some stans are so deep into this, that they turn every clearly platonic moment between them into something kind of secret love confession. They watch their scenes with glued on buddie shipper goggles. Saying eddie looked disappointed after buck tells him about his date with tommy or buck looked disappointed after eddie tells him that nothing is gonna change between them, is actually insane crazy. All I’ve seen were two very best friends who support each other unconditionally. Eddie even told buck to call tommy. Not once but twice. He looked happy for him.

You said it all anon!

I don’t think the writers had any intention to place eddie and buck together romantically at least so far. I tend to keep my ships in canon, so this whole discourse between buddie and bucktommy is very strange to me.

Like, I totally understand shipping characters that aren’t canon, heck, I have my own weird little ships too, so wanting to two characters to get together and thinking fondly of them as couple through wishful thinking and fanfic is really cool!

But the second an entire piece of the fandom decides to bring that OUTSIDE the fandom space, that’s where the problem lies.

Could we, bucktommy shippers, be very wrong about the interactions between buck and eddie meaning only friendship?

Yes, even though I don’t enjoy the story going on that direction. It could be a big plan that’s been brewing for years to have the ship become canon.

However, I feel like b*ddie shippers are being disrespectful on how they are approaching this entire situation, as, like I said, the shipping thing left the fandom space and now infects those on the inside (actors, network, writers, etc). So now we are in this strange blend of what’s on our side and what’s on the show’s side. There’s no wall separating the creators and the fans, and while that can have a lot of positives, it also taints the side that’s doing the creative part.

In fact, writers and actors are advised to not engage with fanfic and fan theories because it can affect the original work, even in a subconscious way. Of course actors can have head canons for the characters they are playing to help with the motivation, but that is also not canon, so it shouldn’t be taken at face value as well.

This whole situation is very tiring because there’s no real win here. If tommy and buck become endgame, the b*ddie shippers will say that it was rushed and made no sense because he had more chemistry with eddie, blah blah blah. If b*ddie does become canon, they will say they were always right and will most likely think that they got their ship to be canon because of their behavior on social media.

Shipping is such a harmless thing. It should be “I think these two would make a cute couple, I’ll explore that by writing about it on my own little story”, not “these two have to be together because like them together and if it’s not that way there’s something wrong being done by the creators”.