While I sputtered, Bly wrote a protest for me.
As a proud member of Mm.org, I understand that you are forced to set certain standards to protect the rights and sensibilities of visitors to your site, both readers and authors alike. However, lately I feel that I am seeing a disturbing trend that singles out stories based on or including same-sex relationships that is impinging upon the rights of some authors. I feel that a double-standard is being created; one that condones heterosexual pairings and stories, but makes the rules regarding slash, yaoi, and yuri so stringent as to discourage posting. I am concerned that this may not be the message that you want to send. By allowing a story that has a male and female kissing to be rated “T,” but stating that a story that even implies a relationship between two men must be rated “X,” you are indicating that this is somehow perverse, unsavory, or unhealthy.
On your site, an “X” rating means “No children under 17 – Mature readers only.” And, while I agree that a certain level of maturity is to be expected, I do not believe that exposure to same-sex couples is so deviant as to be require such a stringent rating. Particularly if there is no explicit sex or extreme violence in the story.
I appreciate having a place to post my stories and understand that you cater to a wide variety of readers, but again, I am concerned that you are casting same-sex stories in a negative light and inadvertently supporting prejudice and bigotry. I do not believe that this is the message that you’re trying to send, but it is difficult to perceive it in another light since clearly it is not being applied across the board to all stories that imply relationships with heterosexual pairings.
IÂ respectfully request that you consider this while continuing to review the rating and labeling standards of your site.
What can I say? She’s awesome.
It’s your move, MediaMiner. Will you do what is right?