Episode 38: Problematic Gay Stuff

The Hopeless Romantic

Content warnings: This episode references potentially triggering topics, including abusive relationships, gaslighting, murder, cannibalism, sexual assault, violence, incest, Real Person Fan Fiction, and age differences--a lot of triggers that constitute "dark" or "problematic" fiction. While we don't dwell on many of these subjects, they are referenced, and people may want to protect themselves accordingly. Also, there are mild spoilers for Hannibal and other pieces of media referenced.

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This episode, we head over to the Dark Side of queer publishing and fan fiction (and give you several more TED Talks). Austin and Amanda think that the widespread use of content and trigger warnings in fandom and queer fiction give readers the ability to curate their own experience and examine their reactions to fiction in ways that mainstream media doesn't typically allow for. Amanda talks about her own journey through dark media and how she's drawn and redrawn her own lines, and Austin does the same. Ultimately, both hosts believe there is no consensus as to what constitutes "good" fiction versus "problematic" fiction, that policing other people's engagement with media is impossible and reductive, and that humans are complicated and messy by nature.

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Episode notes:

Killing Eve (TV show)
KJ Charles - The Henchmen of Zenda
Anthony Hope - The Prisoner of Zenda
Aliette de Bodard - The Citadel of Weeping Pearls (Xuya Universe)
Margaret Killjoy - The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion
Kelly Robson - A Human Stain
The Clarkesworld Podcast
Rich Larson - Carouseling
Rich Larson - God Decay
The Verge: Listen to one of the best short science fiction podcasts right now
Robyn Bennis - The Guns Above: A Signal Airship Novel
Heather Rose Jones - Daughter of Mystery
The Exorcist (TV show)
My Favorite Murder (Podcast)
Poppy Z. Brite - Exquisite Corpse
CS Pacat - The Captive Prince Series
Kurt/Blaine (Glee TV show)
Madeline Miller - The Song of Achilles
Hannibal/Will [Hannigram] (Hannibal TV show)
Brokeback Mountain (Film)
Boys Don't Cry (Film)
Kylo Ren/Hux [Kylux] (Star Wars films)
Clint/Coulson (MCU films)
Goodreads: Popular M/M dark books (couldn't find an F/F equivalent--let me know if you do!)