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A Conversation With My Friend Who Really Wants To Have Sex With Mr. Incredible

so this article crossed my twitter, and honest to goodness makes me smile every time.  i know, yes, the title - but it’s a really well crafted and respectful piece.

It’s also the exact tone I wish fandom would embrace more - there’s a massive gaping hole where we could (and need, tbh) to talk frankly about using-characters-as-personal-exploration.  characters that have been there in our darkest hours in silent support when other meatbags can’t, even by day when we’d stridently deny such silliness.  characters who by their existence make a few things ‘click’ in that hell and heaven that is human sexuality, characters that have gently shaped philosophies through 2am mental conversations -

- you know. 

(we’re on tumblr.  ‘we like characters’ is … an understatement.)

but on the flip side of that rawness - being mindful, crucially so - about that very necessary distance between character and creator.  being tasteful and critical about said self examination and having the street smarts of knowing what’s genuine oversharing versus not, and being secure in your confidence and sense of self that you don’t hinge everything on That One Character/Fandom, because that’s not healthy whichever vice it’s at (and it shows, oh boy does it).

and also, i’d almost say most importantly - doing the above with a large side of humor because hey, gosh dang humans can be weird!  

i’m pretty sure we all clicked on that article out of morbid rubbernecking, despite all of us being giant fucking hypocrites given we’re all fandom folks to an extent, and the entire pile of fanwork / smutfics since the dawn of the internet reflects just how intense that imprinting can be.  said intensity comes with a lot of baggage/emotions, naturally - and yet, here - that charge is skillfully acknowledged and disarmed through sheer charm.

talking about sexuality openly in itself is hard (and I have nothing but respect for fellow queers who do it), never mind mixing it with something that’s historically almost as taboo / vulnerable to talk about.  it’s rare that we do more than the side-glance and wink/nod at anonymous avatars through fic comments and DM’s much less tell it to the world.

and .. i don’t know.  there’s good honest meat to unpack there.

so - huge kudos to the author and baths for going for it. (and i believe you have a movie to rewatch).  <3