VIDEO: Harry Potter and the chamber of shippers

by · July 25, 2013

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In this episode, Ursa talks Harry Potter slash and fanfic, and why Sherlock, Supernatural and Lord of the Rings all have so much of both, and discusses two hot guys making out as an expression of female desire. …Wait, what?

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  • MichaelANovelli

    My favorite shipping was always “giant squid/Hogwarts castle”…

    But, yeah, I’ve never really been comfortable around women who’re obsessed with gay men (if you’ll pardon the expression, there are no fag hags in THIS bear den! ^_^), to the point where I sometimes feel the need to emphasize my bisexuality not because 90% of Americans believe that people like me don’t exist (which is still bullshit) but because the most insulting thing you can be is some girl’s “gay best friend”…

    Women who think in such terms are no better than slave owners, in my own humble opinion. ^_^

    • Marshall Oliver Estes

      But we make such good pets. Don’t you want to be some straight person’s magical queer who can turn their life around by taking them shopping and redoing their hair?

      • MichaelANovelli

        Well, I’m a bear, so that wouldn’t be a good fit. Besides, if anyone tried that, I’d go Django on them! LOL

        • Marshall Oliver Estes

          Yeah, most girls who just “love teh gays” don’t like bears too much.
          Speaking of which, if I won’t find fag hags in your bear den, what would I find?
          I need to know the answer for….science.

          • MichaelANovelli

            Hmmm, I should have said “Goldilocks” in my instance, shouldn’t I? My den has many cans of soda!

          • Marshall Oliver Estes

            My den is full of gummy worms and Sriracha flavored chips.

  • Sofie Liv

    Well, if you read any Manga, they have an entire genre in that area which are all about gay relationships, and girls love it. It’s called. “Yaoi.” it’s a genre.. try and look it up some-time.

    My littlesister loves it, and she has a friend whom is compleately obsessed.
    What they own from it, is pretty damn harmless though, just some cute romantic mangas where the main characters happens to be male.

    I personally don’t get the appeal from that, if a man is really hot, I want him for myself, why should he run off with another man?

    How-ever, confession time.

    I have read my share of.. ehehehe, fanfics of a more.. sexual tone. And even enjoyed some.

    But I don’t see what the shame is, some guys like to watch porn, I enjoyed some of those kinds of fanfics on rare occasions. So what. I didn’t pay any money for them, I didn’t claim it to be litterary art or have ever spoken about them before now.

    So why should any-one care really? I’m allowed…. and now Mendo is going to tease me about this.

    Some-things just are disgusting to me though, shipping Snape with ANY of the school-kids is just gross!

    • MichaelANovelli

      Why, yes. Yes, I will.

      • danbreunig

        I can and can’t already imagine what you have to say–just that it’ll be tasty.

        • Sofie Liv

          Well, Mendo did not only review. “Sailor moon and the seven balls.” but the sequels as well.

          So I don’t really see how he is in any position to point fingers.

          • danbreunig

            True, there’s not so much ammo left.

          • MichaelANovelli

            I’m always in the position, I’m taller than you…

          • Sofie Liv

            yeah, but I can run a lot faster than you, and even climb trees.

          • MichaelANovelli

            But, can you set traps?

          • Sofie Liv

            Yes.

            Have do you think I survived out to Larping for so long? Among lots and lots of men whom are both bigger, stronger and way faster than I am?

            And usually I will play some sort of thief, beggar og Bard, whom only exist to Larping so other people can kick after them.

            Have you any idea how hard it is NOT to get thrown in the river when you maybe, incidently, sang a song about how fat and stupid the city guard is, and then have to run and hide while compleately covered in bells!?

          • MichaelANovelli

            Have you any idea just how far away I can be and still hit a target? I’m talking tranquilizer darts, baby! You’ll wake up in a chicken coop with your feet tied to something ticklish! Like a sheep, or a feather duster!

          • Sofie Liv

            Then all of my fans will come after you, you think you can take all of them?

            Remember, if an individuals is a fan of both of us, they will stay go after you, cause I am a much cuter.

          • danbreunig

            Now children, play nice or you won’t get to play Agony Anarchists anymore!

            …

            Um, weren’t we all originally talking about fanshipping anyway? I lost track.

          • Sofie Liv

            But… he started it.

            *Goes to my corner*

            Well Michael, then i’ll just give you all diabetes with my eye attack of cuteness.

            Maybe that course of death is pretty slow, but at least i’ll die knowing I got revenge!

          • She’s right you know. I already have my death certificate written since she gave me one! In my last act on this Earth, I’ll join Michael in taking you down you adorable demon!

          • MichaelANovelli

            No, they will take the path of least resistance and go after you, as I am much more heavily armed! ;)

    • danbreunig

      “I personally don’t get the appeal from that, if a man is really hot, I
      want him for myself, why should he run off with another man?”

      That’s exactly what I don’t get about lesbian porn. A lot of straight men are seemingly into that, while I’m an exception–what’s so appealing about a desirable woman wanting another desirable woman? That says she’s clearly made her choice to not have a man, so…that turns on men how?

  • Jason Withrow

    Homestuck waltzed in with strong female characters and a larger-than-usual LGBTQ fanbase and so waltzes on with a femslash relationship as its #2 most popular ship (on AO3). So there may be something to your guesses… but at the same time, it later turned out to be canon (as did the gay couple in #4, briefly), so perhaps they were just following the hints.

  • Marshall Oliver Estes

    Giant Squid/Hogwarts OTP 4EVER :3 :3 :3 :3 :3

    But seriously, good video. I’m always interested in non-fandom’s reaction to shipping in general, and slash in particular. I wrote a story for a creative writing class about a girl who writes slash, and no one (save for a few who were into their own fandoms) believe that a woman would write about two men getting it on. The most vocal reactions to it were in fact women, who repeatedly told me that women wouldn’t write that kind of stuff, even though I knew several women who did. It was interesting.

  • danbreunig

    So Ursa–as far as fanfic altogether goes, would you say that shipping and slash are so commonplace now that it’s abnormal to not have them in fanfic? I’m nowhere near a prude, but when I look at or hear about fanfiction (especially in the last decade), it seems to lean toward something remotely sexual the majority of the time. Personally I think of shipping more in terms of joining together two characters you want to see together just to have their personalities intertwine, rather than to suggest a romance, bromance, womance, or any -ances.

    • Sofie Liv

      I got a fanfic page.. i’ve written on that fanfic page for a long time.. I don’t have as much as one single “Slash.” fic written.

      You can go ahead and check for yourself, I have never written any slash fic or heavy sexual fic,
      http://www.fanfiction.net/~moonbird

      That “Slash” and “Sexual.” fanfiction is more common than other fanfictions is not true, those are just the ones you hear about.

      Yeah they are common place, but I only think 1 out of 3 fanfics would have any sexual content, if not less.

      How-ever, those which do have context.. man do they go for it, and I guess that’s why fanfiction is so infamous for it, not to forget, that’s the only place where young girls can just go crazy with that kind of stuff for own pleasures sake.

      • John Wilson

        I write fan fiction too and I never do Slash fiction. I do crazier. Here a few stories. I wrote one about you too. I have a lot more stories that I need to upload too.
        http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7413500/1/Bleach-First-Class(first fanfiction)

        https://www.fanfiction.net/story/story_preview.php?storyid=7510028 (my most popular)

        http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7510028/1/The-knight-rises (one I wote about you.Note:its crazy)

        Fan fiction a nice way to start writing:).
        Edit: links now fixed

        • danbreunig

          The closest I’ve come to fanfic was scribbled comics of kids’ TV and some comic books on looseleaf in grade school, and a couple of real attempts at real fanfic–not of movies or TV, but classic 19th. Century novels if you can believe that. My head’s always overflowing with ideas (not necessarily sick or sexual but definitely crazy and bizarre), but by the time I get to a keyboard or notepad I keep getting that feeling of what’s the point? As of yet I haven’t really produced something I can call Internet-worthy–I’m hoping to rectify that soon with some current work.

          I tried the links but they say I need an account to even see your stuff. I *think* I saw the Sofie one before–was it the one where she’s Alice?

          • John Wilson

            Just write. Sure some ideas may not work. But the ones that do stick:).

          • danbreunig

            Now that much I *do* know–but thanks for the tip, John. Like I said, it’s not about not having ideas, it’s about getting them out–and especially deciding which ones are the most worthwhile to get out in the open.

      • danbreunig

        Hey, thanks for the tip and all the content too–seems like you’ve made quite a cornucopia’s worth while so young. But *66* pieces? And a whole novel? And nearly all fandoms I have very little knowledge of? That proves it, I am so not worthy!! Truly, this one current project I’m making (my one biggest creative endeavor *ever*) may be kindergarten stuff by comparison. :(,,,

        What I was getting at about slash/sex/fic is that it’s currently so upfront that anything else that’s not seems to fall by the wayside. In my piece I wasn’t aiming for anything sexual or even romantic–like I said above, it’s just comically having characters simply thrown together and bouncing their personalities off each other.

        • Sofie Liv

          Ahh, don’t sweat it.

          It’s just small scribblings I have done for years, half of them aren’t even prober stories but just small one shots.

          But any-how, I do think to write fanfiction is an excellent way to practise how to write, if you go at it in a more constructive way.

          A writer ones told me. “If you lift a lot of weights, you gain muscle, if you write a lot, you become a better writer, so just write some-thing!”

          And yeah, that’s true, and fanfiction is some-thing.

          I never.. NEVER! learned as much about writing as when I wrote that Harry potter fanfic/Novel.

          It started out as a little guilty pleasure, but eventually, I started to de-construct the original harry potter books I love so much, to copy as many of the themes and tricks Rowling used, unto my own fic, in an attempt to re-create the same feeling as the original books.

          And it just taught me every-thing I know about writing stories, it was a grueling process for sure, but taught me more than ten years in school ever did.

          And yeah, I enjoy writing comical fictions as well, and what you are describing sounds like a brilliant writing excersise.
          Go for it!

          • danbreunig

            Thanks again for the tips and encouragement. I guess I get so easily overwhelmed when I see so much coming out of one person, especially in short time. Oddly enough, that’s kind of my approach to the fanart I do. A lot of one-offs I’ve made have more details that my bigger project(s) because they’re one-offs, and I can afford a little more detail in them. The bigger piece has less detail per panel, but then there are really hundreds more panels involved. For all the (ever-delayed) work involved, I’m still enjoying this pet project more than anything I made in and/or for school at any level.

  • Cyvaris

    I…this was rather tame for a shipping discussion.

    • Jill Bearup

      A shipping discussion that hasn’t devolved into shouting…? Dare I hope…?

      Well, time to celebrate!

      *ahem*

      Victory is mine, people, victory is mine! I drink from the keg of glory, Donna; bring me the finest muffins and bagels in ALL THE LAND!

      XD

      • danbreunig

        If it wasn’t an intense discussion, it was certainly a deep one (you’ve an official published essay on the matter, even!). Goes to show not everyone needs a sledgehammer to make a point.

  • John Wilson

    Remember Fifty shades of grey was fan fiction.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifty_Shades_of_Grey

    So girls really like Slash :).

    • Jill Bearup

      There’s no slash in Fifty Shades. Plenty of sex and whatnot, which I guess is what you meant? But the main character is horrified by hearing that Christian Grey’s brother is bisexual. So it’s kind of…anti-slash.

  • Anon

    Ah yes, the Harmony Vs. Heron ship wars. I was there, it wasn’t pretty.

    For a long time I was baffled as to why anyone would take shipping that seriously but I did some thinking (yeah, dangerous habit) and I now have a theory on why shipping wars occur, if you’d like to hear it.

    I think it’s not only about the ship itself, it’s also about being a supporter of that ship, it’s about being part of that group and not wanting to share your turf with other groups. Basically, it’s form of tribal or gang warfare.

    After all, we’ve known for a long time that supporters of different football teams don’t tend to like each other much. Boys support football teams. Girls support ships. It’s the same principle.

  • MephLord

    The one fandom that is really into shipping is the Young Justice fandom (and I’m a card carrying member in that club). I think it’s awesome that they come up with names for couples that get shipped, that just to me seems something I’d never have expected when I was a teenager. Redcat, Supermartian (that one always makes me laugh), Neverland, Spitfire…amazing really what fans will latch onto.

    • Young Justice is an abbreviated version of a series that is essentially a teen soap opera with superheroes. Shipping is more the law than a fandom thing in that type of setting. Look at Buffy.

  • Thomas Stockel

    I have heard of fanfic and slash fic, but shippers and shipping? Outside of FedEx and UPS this is a new one to me. It’s like an entirely new landscape of the internet I have yet to have seen.

    I have a question for Harry Potter fans. I have only seen the movies so I don’t know exactly what happens to Harry at the end. What sort of job does he have, for example? I had always envisioned him wanting to settle down and have the most normal, mundane, safe job as humanly possible. After a childhood and adolescence filled with people trying to murder him I would think he might want to have the most normal, mundane job he could possibly get.

    • Sofie Liv

      Actually no.. he became an “Auror.” which is kind of the Wizard equiliant of a cop, so yeah.. he is sort of a wizard cop now.
      Guess he became addicted to the thrill after-all, or as Harry wanted to put it, there was nothing else he could imagine himself doing than that.
      And of cause he was allowed direct entry after having defeated Voldemort and stuff like that…

      The one thing Harry did want though, was a family and a normal life, so he created one, he got married with Ginny and they have three kids together, two boys and one girl.

      • MichaelANovelli

        Well, him being an Auror was foreshadowed. Hermione did point out to Harry that he had a “saving people thing.”

      • An Auror is more of a specialized detective, isn’t it? CSI Hodsmead type of deal.

  • danbreunig

    Something else just came to me, Ursa–
    if shipping is about fans wanting particular relationships between characters in one or more fandoms, then what is it when fans want to take characters from one universe and plug them into another, just letting the characters stay true to themselves while in another fandom’s context? Because that’s really more up my own alley.

    • Jill Bearup

      Alternate Universe, or AU.

      An example: I just saw a fic of the Avengers in the Pacific Rim universe. So Steve has lost Bucky while piloting a Jaeger and is having nightmares, Clint and Natasha pilot a Jaeger together at the Malibu Shatterdome, and Tony Stark makes All The Things. Oh, and Betty, Bruce and Reed Richards are on Team Science Bros.

      • Thomas Hayes

        Judging by tumblr, Pacific Rim has spawned a fairly big fandom in a very short time. At the very least that film is destined for Cult Classic status.

        • Jill Bearup

          Tumblr ADORES Pacific Rim. Seriously. Except the Australians, who love it apart from the people failing to have Australian accents. :)

          I just generally love it.

          • Thomas Hayes

            I really dug it too. I had to go see it twice which I don’t normally do with modern films. I also wanted to see if 2D was better for it, and I think it was. If you haven’t seen it in 2D, see it in 2D – makes the action easier to follow. That said, the Shatterdome hangar interiors and the Mako Chasing the RABIT scene were GORGEOUS on IMAX 3D.

      • danbreunig

        Of course, I should’ve known, I hear that all the time–I just didn’t see the forest because of the trees on that one. But yeah, my mind follows that path more: “what if A & B were in the X & Y world” rather than “get A & Y or B & X to mingle…” It’s the basis for my next two fan thingies ;)

  • FullofQuestions1

    Ah, slash fic and shipping. Oh, the memories. I never wrote any myself, because I was writing Harry Potter fanfic at age eleven, a time when falling in love was stupid and boys sucked. My fan fiction was instead *blushing* various self insertions engaging in adventures based on whatever I was obsessed with at the time (this included the Loch Ness monster and fortune telling…those two combined in one story).

    I love these videos, Jill! Keep ’em coming!

  • My shipping history was, of course, largely Star Wars, and boy there was a bit of contest regarding this, essentially between fans of the YA novels and those who only read the adult ones, as different characters were developed in each series. I did do some fem-slash (thinking, not writing) at this time, but that was mainly because I went through a span of a few years where lesbian love scenes were the only ones I could find appealing because a) I find female characters more relatable than male ones and b) because I found the male body too squicky. And, you know, taking badass female characters that I both wouldn’t mind being and wouldn’t mind dating that were more interesting than their boyfriends made the perfect fan couple for this teenager. Nobody ever said ‘shipping was based on any form of logic, after all (it’s sort of the anti-logic in many ways).

    As for Potter… well, I had grown up to learn from my fiction that the main male and the main female got together, unless they were brother and sister. So I assumed Harry and Hermoine would get together, the same way I assumed Tai and Sora would get together. And then Zero Two and the latter HP books broke my young, naive heart, but this is also part of the learning process in that your best friend/most prominent opposite sex badass in your life isn’t necessarily going to be the one in your bed.

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