20 Years Ago In Fandom (more or less)
In 1996, slash fans were grappling with the Internets and the ensuing existential angst of online fandom life. Below are random quotes, written by different fans
“My view on slash becoming more universally known to fandom and the general public is easy. I want everyone to know it exists, so that eventually it will become an accepted aberration, no more strange than straight random writing hurt/comfort about Kirk and Spock. It may not happen within the next few years, but perhaps in ten. I don’t think that’s too optimistic a viewpoint, considering
how swiftly public opinion changes. TV producers, writers and actors already publicly acknowledge its existence, and a large number of straight fans have heard about it, even if they are not personally interested. The only fly in the ointment is the fact that slash is now so widely available on the Internet that everyone, including minors, have easy access. Although on the whole it must
be good to reach a wider audience, this seems to me like slash shooting itself in the foot.”
“Re Net, personally I feel the same way about this as about TV, people are responsible for what they choose to read. Parents are responsible for what their
children read. If something is clearly marked as porn or slash or death stories or whatever, someone who reads it anyway has no right to complain unless the thing read was not as advertised. Isn’t there some way to mark stories on
the Net so that unsuspecting tans do not read them? If they do and get upset, well I’m not unsympathetic (I have been there and had that done to me). As for the newspapers getting the news. Isn’t that too late?? I thought they already had gotten a hold of this news.”
“I’m not a Net crawler yet, although we hope to be soon. I know there is tons of
fiction available to be downloaded, but frankly I don't have a whole lot of hope that it will be worthwhile or interesting or well-written. I’m not sure why I feel that
way, except for the old adage that you get what you pay for. Thus, if something is free, how much can it be worth, and how good can it be?“
“It would be nice to be able to download those stories you want in the fandom you want but there already exists a two-tier scenario within fandom in general. Those who are able to easily access the stories and zines they want by either knowing someone who produces them or is able to get to cons where they can procure them, and those who are either new to fandom in general or are unable to get to cons and don’t have the contacts.”
“At the speed with which computers and the Internet are proliferating. I don’t think many of us will remain unconnected very long. And as to the idea that this latest toy will lose its novelty, think telephone, radio, television, etc. It seems that anything that expands our communications horizons stays with us forever.”