People using bottom/top tags is my pet peeve and I tend to ignore fics that say out of principle, so I really hope specifying it doesn't become a trend. But I find that people who do specify it with tags or warnings are people who always write top/bottoms in an offensive, stereotypical way.
This is why I prefer stories that have them switch, since they tend to be more likely to use stereotypical top/botton or uke/seme for the old school ff fans tropes.
It has such negative implications, especially since the "bottom" is usually written as weaker or more emotional. Or as more feminine. I find myself really wary of people who insist characters can only ever bottom or top when they have sex.
This sounds like a problem with a particular writer, or writers.
There are definitely men who are strictly bottoms and men who are strictly tops (and you really can't argue with me about this because I;ve had these conversations) and I don't think there's anything wrong with someone either prompting that, preferring that dynamic, or scrolling past it because they DON'T prefer it.
People have to practice in order to become better at characterization. Along the way we're going to read every stereotype in the book. People don't get better when they're discouraged from exploring their interpretations.
It's a fandom wide problem. You'll see it in any fandom.
The issue isn't whether people prefer that in real life, it's the way it's written in fandom because it relies on really negative stereotypes and sometimes edges into fetishizing. Assuming someone bottoms or tops because of their emotional state or physical appearance is problematic. Changing someone's characterization to make them better fit the stereotypical idea of a top or bottom is also problematic.
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Re: Can fic writers specify who tops or bottoms?
(Anonymous) 2016-02-11 01:30 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Can fic writers specify who tops or bottoms?
(Anonymous) 2016-02-11 04:36 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Can fic writers specify who tops or bottoms?
(Anonymous) 2016-02-11 10:20 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Can fic writers specify who tops or bottoms?
(Anonymous) 2016-02-13 06:18 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Can fic writers specify who tops or bottoms?
(Anonymous) 2016-02-12 02:50 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Can fic writers specify who tops or bottoms?
(Anonymous) 2016-02-11 04:46 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Can fic writers specify who tops or bottoms?
(Anonymous) 2016-02-11 06:40 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Can fic writers specify who tops or bottoms?
(Anonymous) 2016-02-11 07:45 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Can fic writers specify who tops or bottoms?
(Anonymous) 2016-02-12 02:54 pm (UTC)(link)It has such negative implications, especially since the "bottom" is usually written as weaker or more emotional. Or as more feminine. I find myself really wary of people who insist characters can only ever bottom or top when they have sex.
Re: Can fic writers specify who tops or bottoms?
(Anonymous) 2016-02-12 09:38 pm (UTC)(link)This sounds like a problem with a particular writer, or writers.
There are definitely men who are strictly bottoms and men who are strictly tops (and you really can't argue with me about this because I;ve had these conversations) and I don't think there's anything wrong with someone either prompting that, preferring that dynamic, or scrolling past it because they DON'T prefer it.
People have to practice in order to become better at characterization. Along the way we're going to read every stereotype in the book. People don't get better when they're discouraged from exploring their interpretations.
Re: Can fic writers specify who tops or bottoms?
(Anonymous) 2016-02-12 09:46 pm (UTC)(link)It's a fandom wide problem. You'll see it in any fandom.
The issue isn't whether people prefer that in real life, it's the way it's written in fandom because it relies on really negative stereotypes and sometimes edges into fetishizing. Assuming someone bottoms or tops because of their emotional state or physical appearance is problematic. Changing someone's characterization to make them better fit the stereotypical idea of a top or bottom is also problematic.