Erotica readers and writers...

[51stcenturyfox]

Following today's fandom!secret on this topic, some questions about... foreskins!



Here's the secret someone posted:




Do they have a point? I was going to do a poll, but LJ is being very naughty about polls.

What are your thoughts? Should fic writers mention foreskins more often (for characters who are likely to be uncut?)  Do you not need or want this detail? Do you assume they're there anyway, depending on how you imagine the characters and who they are? Is this something you've never really considered, either way? 

Do you not give a hot damn?

ELVES?  VAMPIRES?  HOBBITS??? I don't even know.

Are you pretty sure Jack Harkness has a fiveskin? Because I am.

ETA: Thank you to my f-list (unlike the F!S thread) for not being judgey about people's parts. Every cock is pretty!

Comments

[kel-reiley.livejournal.com]

it's one of those things that i don't feel needs to be mentioned unless it's actually pertinent to what's happening right in that moment - meaning, unless they are like playing with and getting all foreskin happy, it's not totally necessary
likewise, it shouldn't be made a point that someone is cut unless... there's a point, a reason that is relevant to the story

you know what i mean?

[debitha.livejournal.com]

The punchline of the fic will be that point 5 is that it's actually a baguette.

[cruentum.livejournal.com]

The comments here surprised me, too, because part of me went, "we are talking about porn in which people have sex and get their dicks out and fuck with them and it is noticable when a guy is still soft and it is fun to play with and if someone is getting someone uncut hard they would play with it and how can you not mention it then?" I'm just surprised how many people write porn and say "but oh no, I don't care about the genitalia, I don't need to know about that detail, I don't want to know" ... because uh ... wow. You don't? I do. I kind of like those details.

Yeah I'm umm- I don't see why it should be explicitely mentioned if there is no need for it, but ... yeah I'm not quite sure how can even even around mentioning it when you describe a blowjob in detail on a guy who is uncut.

Or yknow, if the porn is hot to me, if you don't write that kind of detail, actually.

I just like details in my porn. Not grand broad descriptions of sex acts in 2 paragraphs. I mean -- I read porn for the porn and that's ... cocks and vaginas and things. I like to know.

[hope]

No need to describe every pulsing vein...?

WHY NOT?

[kimoto.livejournal.com]

I don't care much about it. prefer if it's not mentioned. Anyway I noticed that in fanfiction (harry potter) they mostly don't mention it, but in gay novels.. they do.. I wonder why.

[stuffphile.livejournal.com]

I read the secret as "if you write characters who, due to religion/culture/etc ought to be uncircumcised as circumcised because you have a foreskin squick, then you suck". So I agree with that.

I also agree with people saying that is not a proper secret. Someone needs to make "fandomsoapbox" and all this kind of thing can go over there.

This was pretty illuminating for me. I'm Australian, and uncirmcumcised is the norm, here, AFAIK. I didn't even realize circumcision was as widespread as it is in the USA. I thought people mostly only did it for religious reasons. It did not occur to me that people were cutting off parts of their children's bodies for nothing more than fashion. Seems so strange!

[canaana.livejournal.com]

Yes, they have a point. (I didn't know it was a secret). Circumcision for health reasons, as opposed to religious reasons, has been on the decline for awhile. Unless you posit there is some future reason people are unable to properly clean male infants or put the character in some future culture with a very strong religious or social reason for this particular body modification, there's no reason folks in the future should be circumcized.

On the other hand, while I'm one of those smut writers who's got no problem telling you who's put what bit where if the situation calls for it, I haven't yet found a real need to describe people's bits. Subject to change if I ever do find that situation, but it just doesn't add anything for me.

[canaana.livejournal.com]

Not necessarily fashion--some people still believe there are health reasons. That point of view is on the decline, thank god.

[thaddeusfavour.livejournal.com]

I get what they're saying, that it's a historical fact thing and should be kept in character for your character's time period, race, nation, etc. And I do like things that follow the facts and love attention to details! So, if I'm reading a historical story for it's plot and character that just happens to have porn in it - thus a reason for me to "see" people's bits - then I would like accuracy please.

That said however, if it's porn, I'm not necessarily reading for that type of accuracy and thus don't really care. Make me hot, make me wet, and I'm happy. Hey! If you're writing a really hot fic with the members of the Congress of 1776 getting it on, and they're all circumcised, but I dash straight off after reading it to jump my husband, then I say, "Good job!"

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

True, but most porn doesn't mention this either way. It's not like I've ever seen anyone discuss Rhys or Ianto's state as cut. I just haven't seen that.

Most of the time it's up to the reader's mind's eye anyhow, so... :)

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

EVERY FANDOM MUST HAVE THIS DEBATE, apparently. :)

Yup, I know exactly what you mean.

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

...and so does your husband! :D

A second flood, a simple famine, plagues of locusts everywhere, or a cataclysmic earthquake, I'd accept with some despair. But no, You sent us Congress! Good God, Sir, was that fair?

Does 1776 - the Musical HAVE A FANDOM? :D

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

*nods*

I guess it's not such a minor detail to some, or it's a HOT detail.

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

It's totally a soapbox secret, stuffphile! But it led to some interesting discussions, so hey!

I've known some people who worked in health care and dealt with elderly men with dementia and hygiene issues and that can color your thinking about this. And I'm pretty sure I've seen studies about HIV rates in the developing world being lower for circumcised men, but there are certainly disputed reasons for this, like cultural teaching, marital status, whether the men visit sex workers, etc.

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

I loved that secret!

At least airport/TSA staff won't think its LOLworthy if you have one of those in your handbag. :D

I am totally past the point of caring what kind of sex toys they find in my luggage, though.

Which reminds me... I have some new nightstands which match the bed in the garage, but they need glass tops. No drawers, either. Note to self: buy nesting boxes.

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

Well YOU should.

Your descriptive porn-fu is TOTALLY AMAZING.

I think when it's poorly done, it can be a TMI thing.

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

YOUR PORN IS AWESOME. I have re-read it a lot.

*bows to your genius*

[thaddeusfavour.livejournal.com]

If it does, I should find it. I'm craving some Founding Brothers slash! :P

Mr. Adams! Damn you, Mr. Adams!

I have read some of that when it just seemed to break out on a friend's journal. It was pretty good stuff, actually. As always, depends on the writer.

[trobadora]

They definitely have a point. Doesn't mean foreskins need to be mentioned all the time, but if your description is explicit enough ... it should be there.

(I don't suppose it'd bother me so much if it weren't such a typical example of Americanisation.)

Are you pretty sure Jack Harkness has a fiveskin? Because I am.

WIN. :D

[aeron-lanart.livejournal.com]

That is not a 'proper' secret; it's a rant.

Thing is, does it really matter anyway? I don't think it's essential to ensure that it is clear whether there is a foreskin present or not for something to be hot. It certainly wouldn't bounce me out of a fic. I think I'd possibly be miffed if someone clearly stated that a Brit character was cut without stating why but otherwise I really couldn't be bothered one way or the other.

I've never been up close and personal to a cut peen except in a professional capacity (I'm a nurse) and one isn't exactly approaching things with the same outlook then!

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's totally a rant!

I think I'd possibly be miffed if someone clearly stated that a Brit character was cut without stating why but otherwise I really couldn't be bothered one way or the other.

Same!

[amand-r.livejournal.com]

DAMMIT, I HAVE DONE THAT JOKE ALREADY.

[shane-mayhem.livejournal.com]

Awww, it will. :)

[kenazfiction.livejournal.com]

Are you pretty sure Jack Harkness has a fiveskin? Because I am.

*DIES LAUGHING*

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

It's a futuristic body mod, ok? :D

I LOVE your icon!!!