It's much easier, comparatively, to hold fic writers culpable

I don't think (witness my naivete, if you will) that laws get to do that.

In theory, if Joss had been a crap writer (no literary merit doesn't seem to prevent folk from mass media), he should be no more or less culpable than a brilliant pro writer, or a brilliant ficwriter.

It's much easier, comparatively, to hold fic writers culpable. Particularly in more pairing-oriented stories, where the 'literary merit' argument is harder to make.

Yeah, gotta agree with that. Hell of a shame as far as I'm concerned.

I don't think (witness my naivete, if you will) that laws get to do that.

I'm just as naive. I don't think they do here in the US, but it sounds like Australia has taken steps to put certain forms of literature under ban that I'm not sure that the US has. Our pornography laws deal with photographs/drawing/pictorial representations of child porn, not literature that I know of. Emily might be able to fill in the blanks there, since she's the one who posted the Australian links.

Am I right that the word "chan" is Japanese? I've seen it appended to names, like a diminutive of -san. I think it means, like cute-little-thing or something. I was not aware the word had been appropriated to mean adult/child sexual fic; although I gather that older/younger pairings are rather common in manga. (Not usually parent-age/child-age, unless I miss by guess, but for some reason many of the pairings have a substantial age-differential.)

Am I right that the word "chan" is Japanese?

Ah! That's why I couldn't make sense of the why "chan," in particular?

Am I right that the word "chan" is Japanese? I've seen it appended to names, like a diminutive of -san. I think it means, like cute-little-thing or something. I was not aware the word had been appropriated to mean adult/child sexual fic; although I gather that older/younger pairings are rather common in manga. (Not usually parent-age/child-age, unless I miss by guess, but for some reason many of the pairings have a substantial age-differential.)

Yep. It comes from Star Wars TPM fandom, and per the fanfiction glossary, has something to do with aspects of samurai culture:

Chanslash: Slash stories wherein one member of the pairing is under the legal age of consent (usually between 13-18 years of age but can also be under 21). When George Lucas based the Jedi upon Samurai warriors, he neglected the fact that the Samurai expected apprentices to "service" them in return for training. Many Phantom Menace slash writers have thus interpreted this into Jedi tradition.

he neglected the fact that the Samurai expected apprentices to "service" them in return for training. Many Phantom Menace slash writers have thus interpreted this into Jedi tradition.

When you think about it, it's a "tradition" that goes well back in human history. If you look at a lot of Greek pottery from 2000 years ago, there's a lot of erotic art of young men "tending" to older men in the athletic arena. It's kind of interesting to see how, while the forms may change, the actual actions don't.

By mentioning lawyers, I actually wasn't so much meaning defense lawyers, but that TV shows have people to consult with about what might be legally iffy before the public ever sees it, whereas there's a lot of explicit fanfiction which is pretty open about being plotless (that is, having no pretensions to 'literary merit'). If that makes sense.

(Also should point out that I find 'literary merit' such a subjective term as to be almost meaningless. Certainly there are stories and scenes in movies and TV shows that I find gratuitous and there purely for the purpose of titillation, but who gets to say?)

If that makes sense

Completely.

And, wrod, to your last paragraph.

It comes from Star Wars TPM fandom

Does it really? I had no idea. I assumed it was imported from anime/manga.

The term really wasn't around before TPM hit?