Why it Matters

I'll admit it, I'm into some fairly obscure things.

For instance, I write fanfiction. This is not a mainstream activity in the first place, but I've moved it even farther from the mainstream by writing slash fanfic, which is, for folks who don't know, fanfiction that explores potential same-sex relationships between characters in a TV series, book, film, etc. My current writing obsession is for an anime/manga series that is well past the height of its popularity, and was never that well known in the first place.

I read romances, which would be a solidly mainstream activity if only I had an interest in romance of the heterosexual variety--which I don't. Of course as a lesbian, one might reasonably expect that I'd be interested in lesbian fiction, but nope. It's the boys for me, all the way. What can I say? I'm weird.

And... I'm vegan.

Because while it's mainstream and popular to love animals, it's not mainstream or popular to love them so much that you refuse to participate in their murder and exploitation. Hopefully that will change. More than anything, I want veganism to become normal. As normal, say, as being opposed to racism, sexism, homophobia or child abuse. Because in the end, it's all violence. And it's all wrong. Equally wrong.

Which brings me to the point of this blog. I can imagine that someone looking at this would consider it so odd, so personal and idiosyncratic that it doesn't make sense to write a blog about these things.

But here's the deal: Art is powerful.

Art matters. Even the pouplar forms that most people don't think of as art, such as prime-time television shows or romance novels. Why? Because they are a reflection of our culture, our beliefs and values. And more importantly, because they create our culture. Artists have a huge responsibility in the things we create, becaue the messages we send are going to shape the way people think.

The growing popularity of gay romance doesn't just reflect a shift in cultural attitudes, it is also contributing to that shift. It is changing the way people see gays, how they look at love and sexuality, even their attitudes about gender. Just by presenting same-sex love as something to be celebrated, these stories send a strong message of equality and acceptance.

As an aspiring writer of this genre who happens to be vegan, then, I'm keenly aware of the message I'm sending when one of my characters sits down to a meal of animal products, or puts on a leather jacket, or takes his boyfriend to the zoo for a date. If I present these things as morally unproblematic, I'm sending a subtle but powerful message that these things are okay, that there is nothing wrong with enslaving animals for purposes of pleasure, convenience and entertainment. And since I think there is something wrong with it, something very wrong, I consider it part of my job as a writer to find ways to place these activities in a moral context.