# Romance novels and slash are just socially acceptable softcore porn for women **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 22, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223 "2003-07-22T20:16:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/1 "2003-07-22T20:16:03Z")
[Don’t deny it.](http://www.nypress.com/16/30/news&columns/feature.cfm)You know it’s true! ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/2 "2003-07-22T20:24:25Z")
Ya think? (When did slash become socially acceptable? For that matter, when did it become softcore?) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/3 "2003-07-22T20:29:12Z")
And your point is? Take a look at Beatrice Smalls-- nothing softcore about her romance novels. Biggirl-- proud romance novel reader since 1970. Ifn you want proof, just check out my webpage. ---
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Short\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/4 "2003-07-22T21:15:39Z")
I agree with **Cher3**. Slash is only “socially acceptable” within the social circles it’s popular in, and at least a portion of it sure as hell is way beyond “softcore”. I wonder what the OP has to say about fem/fem slash, btw. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/5 "2003-07-22T21:59:01Z")
Hey, that’s a misleading subject line! The article in the OP doesn’t even say anything about slash. It’s about a romance novel convention. In re slash, ditto what **cher3** said. Slash hasn’t even achieved mainstream recognition, much less acceptance. As for romance novels, well, I don’t know how socially acceptable they are either. Sure, they aren’t kept behind the counter at the grocery store or anything, but not many women I know would want to be seen reading a romance novel in public. I doubt many people have a serious moral objection to romance novels the way they might with porn, but the stereotypes of their readers aren’t very flattering. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/6 "2003-07-22T22:02:34Z")
Take it a step further. Victorian novels are socially prestigious emotional porn. ---
**Author:** ![Tanaqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Tanaqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanaqui)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/7 "2003-07-22T22:08:05Z")
There’s nothing about slash in that article. > [@](#): > > I agree with Cher3. Slash is only “socially acceptable” within the social circles it’s popular in, and at least a portion of it sure as hell is way beyond “softcore”. And a portion of it is rated PG, at most. Just to dispell another stereotype, slash is also not always about happy endings and sweet, loving relationships. There’s plenty of ugly stuff out there. Only the most optimistic would think anything good could come of a Mulder/Krycek relationship, after all. I get the feeling this is different from romance novels. Still, it was an interesting article. ---
**Author:** ![PiscesPrincess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f1d935/32.png) [@PiscesPrincess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PiscesPrincess)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/8 "2003-07-22T23:11:27Z")
Uhhh … here’s a possibly dumb question … what’s “slash”? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Tanaqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Tanaqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanaqui)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/9 "2003-07-22T23:28:17Z")
> [@](#): > > Uhhh … here’s a possibly dumb question … what’s “slash”? It is fan fiction that is focused on romantic and/or sexual relationships between two men or two women. If you want to know more, [this](http://www.goodgirl.ca/how%20slash%20saved%20me.html) is a good article. It’s not a dumb question at all. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/10 "2003-07-22T23:53:28Z")
“Romance novels and slash are just socially acceptable softcore porn for women.” E-yeah. And? ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/11 "2003-07-22T23:59:19Z")
Which makes me wonder, what is socially unacceptable soft-core porn for women? And why is it that het fic wasn’t mentioned? There’s nothing soft-core about my smut. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/12 "2003-07-23T00:00:49Z")
It means that women shouldn’t complain about men looking at Playboy ;). Now we got some dirt on 'em! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/13 "2003-07-23T00:04:22Z")
What a startling revelation. Next you’ll be telling us that men prefer movies with explosions to those in which every character spends the whole movie wallowing in misery. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/14 "2003-07-23T00:11:12Z")
If you read the link in the OP, you have to wonder why **astro** and some of you others are still stereotyping romance novels so ignorantly. Hey, we’re supposed to fighting ignorance here. 😉 That was a great article on the subject, and I’ve read plenty of them. ---
**Author:** ![zen101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c68b51/32.png) [@zen101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zen101)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/15 "2003-07-23T00:59:34Z")
Softcore? If the OP thinks slash is softcore I wonder what would seem like hardcore. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/16 "2003-07-23T01:37:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ISiddiqui \* > \*\*It means that women shouldn’t complain about men looking at Playboy ;). Now we got some dirt on 'em! 😉 \*\* More seriously, they shouldn’t complain about Playboy or other visual porn causing “unrealistic expectations” among men, because romance novels are essentially the same thing for women. If looking at centerfolds can make a man expect to meet unachievable women with perfect bodies, then reading romance novels can make a woman expect to meet The One handsome and charming man who sweeps her off her feet, whispers sweet nothing at every opportunity, knows exactly what she’s thinking without being told, and has been searching for her his whole life. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/17 "2003-07-23T02:09:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by zen101 \* > \*\*Softcore? If the OP thinks slash is softcore I wonder what would seem like hardcore. \*\* This reminds me of something Andy Hallet (Lorne on **Angel** ) said this weekend at the con. He was absolutely _scandalized_\* by a fanfic a friend of his found. he would go into details, all he would say was that it involved Angel, Lorne, a shower, soap, and three fingers. I can’t help but giggle. He was scandalized by _that_?! That’s like PG-13 stuff! I shudder to think of his reaction if he found NC-17 Angel/Lorne slash. (I’ve never read Angel/Lorne slash, however, I’m well enough acquainted with smutfic to know that there’s stuff out there that would make Andy turn green. Heh.) ---
**Author:** ![cajela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cajela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cajela)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/18 "2003-07-23T05:36:58Z")
Yeah, who added slash to the mix? it’s not mentioned in the article. And slash goes the whole range from muzzy romantic sickeningly cute to extreme hard core, with a divergence off into hilarious (sometimes unintentional). Personally I think romance novels are indeed like soft porn, and I hate 'em both. Like Mr2001 says, they’re pernicious. And I think also very unsexy. Neither I (bisexual) nor my bloke (straight) want to bonk(_) barbie dolls. (_) Or can I say the F word in this forum?? ---
**Author:** ![Grousser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9d8465/32.png) [@Grousser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grousser)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/19 "2003-07-23T07:29:28Z")
> [@](#): > > _PiscesPrincess:_ > **Uhhh … here’s a possibly dumb question … what’s “slash”?** > _Tanaki:_ > **It is fan fiction that is focused on romantic and/or sexual relationships between two men or two women.** Thanks, Tanaki. I was just about to reply that Slash was the lead guitarist of **Guns & Roses**. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223/20 "2003-07-23T16:56:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pepperlandgirl \* > **He was absolutely _scandalized_ by a fanfic a friend of his found. he would go into details, all he would say was that it involved Angel, Lorne, a shower, soap, and three fingers. I can’t help but giggle. He was scandalized by _that_?! That’s like PG-13 stuff!** I’ve never seen anything like that in a PG-13 movie. Heck, I’m not sure you could _describe_ that in a PG-13 movie. And in fairness to the actor, some of the “scandal” was probably due to feeling that the story was in some way about _him_ and not just a fictional character. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romance-novels-and-slash-are-just-socially-acceptable-softcore-porn-for-women/190223.md?page=2)