Sounds issueficcy. The amount of time ace characters spend thinking about all the sex they're not having is much greater than you'd think if you only knew real people who didn't want sex.
There's nothing wrong with well-written issuefic, and in fact, that's almost the entirety of first-wave identityfic in any new social movement. For most people it takes years to come up with background parity or other stories that aren't "about" the core identity. Look at the evolution of gay literature, for example. If you want to skip over the issuefic and go straight to background parity, that's fine.
In real life, many of those are things I've seen some of my ace friends encounter. In a culture as sexually obsessed as America, even if you're not thinking about sex, everyone around you usually is, and they make sure to drag you into that a lot.
I've noticed that ace sexuality is handled more gently than most issuefic I've read.
Soapbox warning: I loathe and detest 99.9999% of all "abuse survivor" stories I've read because they tend to be so HORRIBLY over the top, before even getting to "sex can be wonderful, SEE?" as a significant portion of the plotlines.
So, acefic fills a need for comfort-without-sexuality, or a voice for ambivalence about our American-oversexualized-culture, or just as a totally different LOOK at sexuality in general.
>> I've noticed that ace sexuality is handled more gently than most issuefic I've read. <<
That matches my observations.
>> Soapbox warning: I loathe and detest 99.9999% of all "abuse survivor" stories I've read because they tend to be so HORRIBLY over the top, before even getting to "sex can be wonderful, SEE?" as a significant portion of the plotlines. <<
My ratio isn't that far, although I agree that it's an issue more often done badly than done well.
On the other hoof, I write a lot of characters who are abuse survivors, and I know other writers who also handle it well. Not all the stories are even about that; sometimes it's just background. For the Rescuer, he's already dealt with it, so it mainly applies to sympathizing with other survivors. Lawrence/Antimatter has touch issues. Path of the Paladins has trauma recovery as a primary theme, though, appearing in multiple installments. Diminished Expectations has a lot of it, some extremely dark, although much of that series hasn't been sponsored because only a few people like it at all.
>> So, acefic fills a need for comfort-without-sexuality, or a voice for ambivalence about our American-oversexualized-culture, or just as a totally different LOOK at sexuality in general. <<
Agreed. I see a lot of people reading acefic for the comfort or the nonsexual context.
*chuckle* Last time I saw a post with a really cute quote about nonsexual intimacy, I said, "I have written pr0n of this," and got asked for a link. Which of course was the Stan/Lawrence cuddlefluff, though I also do that with Victor/Igor since they're both heterosexual but their primary relationship is queerplatonic. It's like the reverse of trying to "lay away the gay" where they both discovered that they were flexible enough to shift aside from their main orientation and find happiness elsewhere -- enough that, in fact, they wouldn't trade what they have for a conventional relationship given that opportunity.
>> The last one, about the villain not succeeding in their seduction attempt because of the character's asexuality... I'd read that. <<
I've seen a few versions of this, think I've written it too. A favorite.
*chuckle* In fact, one of my earliest versions was a one-line spoof title: "Kal'enedral of Gor." (For people not familiar with the source material, a Kal'enedral is an asexual warrior-priestess, and Gor is a series of SF pr0n novels.)
>> The Vows and Honor Duology is still one of my favorites. <<
Mine too. It's my go-to series when people say there are no ace protagonists. It's always there, but only comes to the forefront two or three times. Misty, like me, writes across a wide range of representation. She's always tended to include things that most writers just don't.
Hmm I wonder if anyone's done this backwards? As in a asexual having to deal with sexual issues. An a-parent having to deal with a sexual offspring is something I've never seen explored, from either side actually... (hmm that does twiddle the muse a bit, I'll see if I can push that idea attached to it into a full fledged fiction... if I can get it off the ground would you like a link?) Or a sexual character coming to terms to an asexual (not just making a comment about it for comedy's sake, but actually understanding and accepting the person as they are)
Save for Misty's work (which you've already mentioned) and an antagonistic character in CS friedman's work (he pushes the definition a bit but he's a nasty deconstruction of the whole seductive vampire thing in a very grim dark setting)I honestly can't think of any asexual and sexual's interaction and the issue being broached in a matter that was handled both tactfully and not for laughs.
A shame really since there's so much potential with the idea, even if it is issueficy.
>> Hmm I wonder if anyone's done this backwards? As in a asexual having to deal with sexual issues. <<
Most of the acefic is about asexual characters in relationships with sexual characters, usually with the ace having sex. It rarely impresses me.
>> An a-parent having to deal with a sexual offspring is something I've never seen explored, from either side actually... (hmm that does twiddle the muse a bit, I'll see if I can push that idea attached to it into a full fledged fiction... if I can get it off the ground would you like a link?) <<
Now that's a great idea. I've touched on it a time or two, but not a lot and I doubt any of that is online. I'd love a link if you write it out.
>> Or a sexual character coming to terms to an asexual (not just making a comment about it for comedy's sake, but actually understanding and accepting the person as they are) <<
This has been done a few times; it shows up in Sherlock fanfic occasionally.
>> I honestly can't think of any asexual and sexual's interaction and the issue being broached in a matter that was handled both tactfully and not for laughs. <<
Sherlock and John in Sherlock would be one.
>> A shame really since there's so much potential with the idea, even if it is issueficy. <<
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chordatesrock - (no subject)
(no subject)
Date: 2014-08-22 06:37 pm (UTC)Well...
Date: 2014-08-22 06:44 pm (UTC)In real life, many of those are things I've seen some of my ace friends encounter. In a culture as sexually obsessed as America, even if you're not thinking about sex, everyone around you usually is, and they make sure to drag you into that a lot.
Re: Well...
Date: 2014-08-22 07:17 pm (UTC)Ace as a parallel
Date: 2014-08-22 10:53 pm (UTC)Soapbox warning: I loathe and detest 99.9999% of all "abuse survivor" stories I've read because they tend to be so HORRIBLY over the top, before even getting to "sex can be wonderful, SEE?" as a significant portion of the plotlines.
So, acefic fills a need for comfort-without-sexuality, or a voice for ambivalence about our American-oversexualized-culture, or just as a totally different LOOK at sexuality in general.
Re: Ace as a parallel
Date: 2014-08-23 08:58 am (UTC)That matches my observations.
>> Soapbox warning: I loathe and detest 99.9999% of all "abuse survivor" stories I've read because they tend to be so HORRIBLY over the top, before even getting to "sex can be wonderful, SEE?" as a significant portion of the plotlines. <<
My ratio isn't that far, although I agree that it's an issue more often done badly than done well.
On the other hoof, I write a lot of characters who are abuse survivors, and I know other writers who also handle it well. Not all the stories are even about that; sometimes it's just background. For the Rescuer, he's already dealt with it, so it mainly applies to sympathizing with other survivors. Lawrence/Antimatter has touch issues. Path of the Paladins has trauma recovery as a primary theme, though, appearing in multiple installments. Diminished Expectations has a lot of it, some extremely dark, although much of that series hasn't been sponsored because only a few people like it at all.
>> So, acefic fills a need for comfort-without-sexuality, or a voice for ambivalence about our American-oversexualized-culture, or just as a totally different LOOK at sexuality in general. <<
Agreed. I see a lot of people reading acefic for the comfort or the nonsexual context.
*chuckle* Last time I saw a post with a really cute quote about nonsexual intimacy, I said, "I have written pr0n of this," and got asked for a link. Which of course was the Stan/Lawrence cuddlefluff, though I also do that with Victor/Igor since they're both heterosexual but their primary relationship is queerplatonic. It's like the reverse of trying to "lay away the gay" where they both discovered that they were flexible enough to shift aside from their main orientation and find happiness elsewhere -- enough that, in fact, they wouldn't trade what they have for a conventional relationship given that opportunity.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-08-23 03:02 am (UTC)And the one about budding. Serves 'em right.
Yes...
Date: 2014-08-23 03:18 am (UTC)I've seen a few versions of this, think I've written it too. A favorite.
*chuckle* In fact, one of my earliest versions was a one-line spoof title: "Kal'enedral of Gor." (For people not familiar with the source material, a Kal'enedral is an asexual warrior-priestess, and Gor is a series of SF pr0n novels.)
Re: Yes...
Date: 2014-08-23 03:50 am (UTC)The Vows and Honor Duology is still one of my favorites.
I've never heard of Gor.
Re: Yes...
Date: 2014-08-23 03:53 am (UTC)Mine too. It's my go-to series when people say there are no ace protagonists. It's always there, but only comes to the forefront two or three times. Misty, like me, writes across a wide range of representation. She's always tended to include things that most writers just don't.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-08-29 12:08 am (UTC)Save for Misty's work (which you've already mentioned) and an antagonistic character in CS friedman's work (he pushes the definition a bit but he's a nasty deconstruction of the whole seductive vampire thing in a very grim dark setting)I honestly can't think of any asexual and sexual's interaction and the issue being broached in a matter that was handled both tactfully and not for laughs.
A shame really since there's so much potential with the idea, even if it is issueficy.
Thoughts
Date: 2014-08-29 12:21 am (UTC)Most of the acefic is about asexual characters in relationships with sexual characters, usually with the ace having sex. It rarely impresses me.
>> An a-parent having to deal with a sexual offspring is something I've never seen explored, from either side actually... (hmm that does twiddle the muse a bit, I'll see if I can push that idea attached to it into a full fledged fiction... if I can get it off the ground would you like a link?) <<
Now that's a great idea. I've touched on it a time or two, but not a lot and I doubt any of that is online. I'd love a link if you write it out.
>> Or a sexual character coming to terms to an asexual (not just making a comment about it for comedy's sake, but actually understanding and accepting the person as they are) <<
This has been done a few times; it shows up in Sherlock fanfic occasionally.
>> I honestly can't think of any asexual and sexual's interaction and the issue being broached in a matter that was handled both tactfully and not for laughs. <<
Sherlock and John in Sherlock would be one.
>> A shame really since there's so much potential with the idea, even if it is issueficy. <<
True.