Subject: [VP] outing myself
Date: Sun, 18 Jun 2000 05:52:11 +0200
From: Sylvia

(Some of you will have seen this on other lists - I apologize for cross-posting.)

First of all, hi! I'm one of the recent arrivals at VenicePlace - some of you may already have seen me skulking around the place looking for additional shelf space to stow my books.

I have an announcement to make that I'm a little nervous about...

When I first discovered slash, I was studying for my final exams. I wrote an XF slash novel at the same time I wrote my "Magisterarbeit" on Anne Bronte's "Tenant of Wildfell Hall" (a Magisterarbeit is not really equivalent to a master's thesis, but close enough). I have now been offered the chance to combine my penchant for slash with my academic pursuits rather than pursue each separately.

Writing a dissertation on slash as a literary genre has long been a fantasy of mine - one that I didn't think would ever turn into reality because that would involve finding a professor who'd accept the subject (I don't know how this works in the US, but in Germany, you need to find a professor to "sponsor" your chosen topic in order to write a dissertation). However, more by chance than anything else, I have now - to my own astonishment - found one.

In many ways, this is a dream come true. The problem, of course, is that as you all know, publicity and scholarly interest is highly controversial in slashdom (though regarding the former I should note that it is extremely unlikely a German dissertation will cause any kind of publicity at all in the US - or over here either, for that matter).

Because I am myself a reader and writer of slash - after the XF novel, I've gone on to write several shorter stories in the XF, Once A Thief and Eroica universes - I hope that you will be willing to trust me. As I've already mentioned, the dissertation will be about slash as a literary genre. It will *not* involve "outing" anyone as a slasher. I will *not* use the names or pseuds of people who want to remain anonymous; I won't ignore the legitimate concerns of slash fen, and I will definitely not misrepresent us in the interest of sensationalism.

The malicious "outing" of slash writers is just one potential kind of publicity. IMO, publicity like that provided by Henry Jenkins' "Textual Poachers" comes down on the side of slash by lending it substance and credibility as a literary genre. This is not to say that I delude myself into thinking my thesis will be anywhere near as lucid and insightful, let alone widely read. Hey, it will probably not be read by more than five people all told.

This is merely my long-winded way of "outing" myself as a slash researcher. I hope that you will be willing to put up with me and perhaps answer the occasional question or comment on my theories.

Sylvia

Subject: Re: [VP] outing myself
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 20:56:38 +0200
From: Sylvia

Flamingo wrote:
>Well, I'm all for it. I would far rather be "researched" by one of our
>own than by outsiders. If I can help you in any way, Sylvia, let me
>know.

Thank you - I will! (And you've already helped me very much just by supporting me - I can't tell you how relieved I am that the response has been so positive so far.)

Hm, maybe a brief word on what I'm trying to do with the dissertation... The focus will be on the development of slash as a literary genre: how and with which works it began, what the notable characteristics of these works were, how and why new elements/trends were introduced, how slash spread to new fandoms, why it spread to these fandoms in particular, and so forth. Within this framework, I hope to address general questions such as what the attraction of slash and of specific sub-genres and fandoms is.

I mean to send out a questionnaire at some point, but it might be a few months yet until I get to that. At the moment, I'm attempting to gain an overview over the early development of slash...

As Starsky&Hutch is one of the most important fandoms in early slash literature, anything you can tell me about the history and development of slash in this fandom (or in general) will help me very much!

Take care,

Sylvia