Fandom Discussion: Incest -- Keeping It in the Family

[themostepotente]

Is incest really best?

What spurred this discussion on incest was a reply from my last inquiry about disturbing fics. dphearson mentioned anything James/Harry being certifiably squickable.

So I asked what she had to say about Lucius/Draco. I was not surprised to find out she wasn't quite as bothered by this. And you know what? She's not alone in thinking this way. Many people have issues with light sider incest.

So this just begs the question;

Where do we draw the line in the sand concerning incest in fanfiction?

What makes one pairing more justifiable than the others? When it all comes down to it - it's still incest.

There's Malfoycest, Pottercest, Weasleycest, and Blackcest.

Any why does it seem confined to the males? Lucius abuses Draco but Narcissa abusing Draco is almost inconceivable.

Since purebloods marry within their circle, incest seems inevitable.

Sirius is related to Narcissa Malfoy and Arthur Weasley.

And since Sirius is Harry's godfather, isn't he considered family?

Does incest have to be blood related to be considered taboo?

So many questions regarding this topic. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

--P

Comments

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

Given that these are fictional characters (who - if they become traumatised by incest - are going to be fine in the next story), I don't much care what kind of hanky-panky any of them get up to in stories.

Having said that, I can't read it. Personal choice, of course...I have friends who love it (and who write it), but I don't enjoy it, probably for many of the the same reasons I dislike Dom/sub scenarios: it's all about the power dynamic - and the lack of balance therein. For me, this extends all the way to Harry with Sirius or Harry with Remus (since I see both of them as acting in loco parentis to him) or even Snape with Dumbledore in *most* people's stories, since a lot of those stories have a very strong incest vibe.

Oddly enough, I *don't* have the same reaction to Fred/George stories. I don't seek them out, but when I come across them, I'm usually fine with the relationship because it feels natural to me, for some reason (and equal).

Cousins, though? No problem. The nature of the relationship is more important to me than the blood tie.

[thermidor.livejournal.com]

Beth, I'm replying to your comment because you express how I feel about a lot of this, especially this part: it's all about the power dynamic - and the lack of balance therein. For me, this extends all the way to Harry with Sirius or Harry with Remus (since I see both of them as acting in loco parentis to him) or even Snape with Dumbledore in *most* people's stories, since a lot of those stories have a very strong incest vibe.


While I also have friends who love incest stories, I usually can't enjoy them. The power balance is just too off for my tatstes. I can do student/teacher especially with a powerful student like Harry and a non fatherly teacher like Snape. I'm bothered less by sibling incest and not by cousin incest.

As for dom/sub, when it's consensual play between equals rather than a natural part of an uneven power dynamic, I love it. However, a d/s parent/child fic would bother me immensely. I guess I can kind of see Malfoycest because Lucius is evil and liable to do all manner of nasty things.

OK, done rambling for now.

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

"...a non fatherly teacher like Snape."

Exactly. Snape - regardless of the fact that he's protecting the students (and particularly Harry) - is really nobody's idea of a father-figure. *g*

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

this extends all the way to Harry with Sirius or Harry with Remus (since I see both of them as acting in loco parentis to him) or even Snape with Dumbledore in *most* people's stories, since a lot of those stories have a very strong incest vibe.


Agree with you about it extending all the way to Sirius/Harry and Remus/Harry and even Dumbledore/Snape in some cases, but if it's not done as kinkfic -- that is to say, if the author is aware of the messed-up-ness of the emotional vibe and writes it in a way that *shows* she aware of it -- I can enjoy it quite a lot.

It's when the incestuous relationship is done purely to add 'hotness' to the story that it loses me. It's not my kink, and thus doesn't do anything for me except me make me wonder when it's going to turn mess and explode into tragedy.