On Asexual Characters article/meta

[meridian_rose]

excerpt: Sometimes I think we write to explore the things most important to us. Sometimes however we write to explore other ways of being. Sometimes we don’t write about the things that we hold dear because of fear or anxiety; fear of exposing parts of ourselves, of “doing it wrong”, of being labelled in a certain way because of what we’ve sent out into the world, or perhaps because it feels too close for comfort.

Article: On Asexual Characters – as an asexual, I should write them more wordpress
tumblr;twitter;pinterest;facebook

Comments

[cmcmck]

People who ARE something really ought to be the ones to write that something! I've seen so many appallingly written trans characters over the years!

[meridian_rose]

I can only imagine! If you're going to write something outside your own experience you must do the research and sadly I think most people don't. Meanwhile those with the actual experience often don't write about it for many reasons. I should try and do better.

[capri0mni]

I didn't figure out I was asexual until I was over 50 (after I learned the term)... And looking back over my fictional characters was one way I figured that out -- I'd say 90-100% of my protagonists are ace, because that's the only kind of attraction I'd ever felt.
...

I don't know how to write any other POV (convincingly, that is).

[meridian_rose]

Writing can definitely help in figuring things out! As I mention in the longer version, I'm still back-and-forth on my romantic identity. I'm glad you write ace characters. I should try and do better!

[capri0mni]

It wasn't anything deliberate... it was more like... realizing my characters were ace at the same time I was realizing I was Ace.

A slowly-coming-into-focus "...Oh." moment.

Now, another marginalized facet of my identity that I am making a concerted effort to write is physically disabled characters.

And this was something I actively refused to do in my youth, in no small part because it was what the most ableist authority figures in my life assumed that was the only kind of character I could/should write. Also, rather than writing myself, I was writing the people I saw around me -- and until I got on the Internet, I was usually the only disabled person in my social group.

Thank you!

[ysabetwordsmith]

This is awesome stuff. I think it would be good if asexual writers wrote more asexual characters.

Re: Thank you!

[meridian_rose]

Thank you :) I shall try and do more :)

[under_the_silk_tree]

I greatly enjoyed your article. I identify as asexual and I tried to think if I have ever written an asexual character but I was drawing a blank. I don't believe I have, at least not overtly. My reason for not doing so is I think a combination of reasons. The biggest is one you listed above, it feels too close for comfort. Writing can really strip you bare and makes you examine things about yourself. I write as a form of entertainment and escape and maybe writing an asexual character would be to real for me because I am not out to anyone in real life it would force me to face an aspect of myself that at the moment has to be kept hidden.

I say write what you want. If you are comfortable writing an asexual character please do so if not don't pressure yourself to do so until you are ready. Having said that I think your article did wake me up a bit and make me ask some tough questions about why I have been avoiding writing characters like me. Maybe writing fic would help me work some things out in my own head and others like me might benefit in the process. I hope this wasn't too personal but your article really inspired me.

Thank you for sharing!

[meridian_rose]

Thank you for such an indepth comment! Not too personal at all. Meta as well as fic can help me explore who I am and reach others, and I'm glad to hear it made you think a bit more :) I'm out to close family and friends but not to wider acquaintances or work colleagues; it's an going process of exploring, being comfortable, and bringing it up at the right time, and I'm still finding my way.
I've been working on some more fanfic with asexual characters and nonsexual relationships and I'm thinking more about original fic characters that I'm writing about, and those I might write :)