Ah. I wasn't putting "extraordinary" in my "reality of life".

Gotcha.

So, to clarify my position (make it all gheetastic), I like to see how they cope. What they cling to. What makes ticking happen. The schmoopy stuff doesn't tend to hit the things I want to know, like, say, how do you brush your teeth if there's no running water?, or something like that.

Neal Pollack is one of those intensely ironic writers where very little, if any, of what he says can be taken at face value. Go read his blog, which is hysterical if you follow the sort of politics/media nexus he's mocking. I haven't read this article, but I doubt it was meant to be taken at face value.

In the population at large, mebbe. In the fanfic community, I feel like I have two heads or something for not (normally) getting all that worked up by, as connie put it, "seeing tough guys get all mushy."

Lyra, I'm with you. I like having a female character to identify with, and when it comes to sex scenes/erotica, it's the het stuff as turns me on. This has often made me feel like a freak, or even like I need to preemptively defend myself against charges of homophobia, in discussions of fanfic.

(None of the above is directed at anyone in particular, and I'm fully aware that I'm Too Damned Sensitive, and need to work on having more confidence about just liking what I happen to like.)

even like I need to preemptively defend myself against charges of homophobia

Gleep. May you never feel that way here. I just see it as not your brand of thrill.

Thanks, connie. And it's definitely been more of a general "What would people think of me if they knew how completely this stuff fails to turn me on?" rather than anything specific about this board or anywhere else.

And it's definitely been more of a general "What would people think of me if they knew how completely this stuff fails to turn me on?"

Personally, I never apologize for what doesn't turn me on, interest me, or hold my attention.

It's a completely subjective thing, and I'm not going to make a value judgement on anyone whose tastes aren't exactly like mine, as long as we can peacefully co-exist.

Also, may I just say that I find the "what if they knew I didn't enjoy slash?" fear absolutely hysterical, since I've been called all sorts of interesting names simply for writing it?

Kind of like being afraid your friends won't like you if they knew you preferred a riding crop to a cat o' nine tails. Or something like that.

Susan, do you object if pepole refer you to stories they think might change your mind? With no strings attached of having to say you liked it? Or even a requirement that you read it at all?

Kind of like being afraid your friends won't like you if they knew you preferred a riding crop to a cat o' nine tails.

Now that's just messed-up...

I love that this is a community where people worry about NOT liking slash, as opposed to "I really like slash -- is everyone going to think I'm a freak?"

Also, may I just say that I find the "what if they knew I didn't enjoy slash?" fear absolutely hysterical, since I've been called all sorts of interesting names simply for writing it?

Yeah, it's all context.

I've gotten pretty good at predicting what will be slashed, however. The only time I've been wrong recently was after watching a particularly snarky Handy Andy-Lawrence moment on Changing Rooms, when I said, "Somewhere out there, someone is writing slash about those two." DH did a search and couldn't find anything, and was all huffy that there's more Trading Spaces than Changing Rooms fic, since we're anglophiliac in our home decor show preference.

Susan, do you object if pepole refer you to stories they think might change your mind? With no strings attached of having to say you liked it? Or even a requirement that you read it at all?

No, as long as they're not too pushy about it, and are willing to believe me when I say it's on my Beer, Asparagus, and Coffee list of things that must be wonderful because so many people love them so devotedly, but just do nothing for me.