The Rec Center #421
Hi all! This week we have articles about the Real Housewives franchise and the latest Hugo Awards controversy, along with some cool Good Omens fanart, a multifandom rec list of mid-century-themed fanfic from guest-reccer Ingwer, and more! — Gav
new stuff
“Hugo Awards under fire over censorship accusations, and SFF writers want answers” by Sadie Gennis and Susana Polo at Polygon
The Hugo Awards finally, belatedly released the voting stats for last year’s winners, and the results suggest something troublesome behind the scenes. Several potential nominees including the bestselling novelist R.F. Kuang were mysteriously disqualified from competition, sparking accusations of censorship connected to the Chinese government.
“After Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, is Bravo headed for a fan-pocalypse?” by Kyndall Cunningham at Vox
An interesting dive into the basically obliterated fourth wall in Bravo’s reality TV fandom, after a popular fan account turned out to belong to a cast member on one of its shows.
“Mass Layoffs Are Causing Big Problems in the Video Games Industry” by Megan Farokhmanesh at WIRED
It’s been another brutal week of layoffs in several industries (including our own, journalism), and yesterday Microsoft laid off 1,900 people at Activision Blizzard and Xbox. This comes on the heels of a very bad 2023 in terms of video-game-industry layoffs—and this piece digs into what the fallout might be.
[approaching the discourse from an even weirder angle] they can’t get away with treating the Mattel Corporation like this
— JP (@jpbrammer) January 23, 2024
older stuff
“Learning to Take Risks Like the Queer Pirates in ‘Our Flag Means Death’” by Hope Rehak at Catapult
“Love and connection require emotional risk. After the harrowing nature of the last three years, I needed ‘Our Flag Means Death’ to remind me.”
tumblr & beyond
Good Omens fanart by almalvo
For the Older Fans, links to some fic archives of yore.
“the year is 2024. I am watching The X Files 1x08 with my blissfully offline boyfriend.”
fresh and innovative new ways to use AO3!!
“The mere concept of a resident evil male nude mod is so funny to me.”
arthurian legend polycule diagram.
fanfiction
You can find Ingwer on tumblr at gingerbreadingwer.
Some of my favourite fanfics from different fandoms are placed in the mid-20th century. They share the same sparse atmosphere, pale and yet bright lighting, characters that are more subdued than their 21st-century counterparts. That last one is probably also due to them often being queer in a more queer-hostile environment than when they are placed in contemporary settings.
Also I wanted to make a rec list that featured this awesome fic about a lesbian society that publishes a magazine.
I think that most of the stories can be well understood without knowing the source material. To get an aesthetic sense of these ships (especially in these time periods), I recommend:
Gwen and Morgana (Merlin BBC):
Les Amis de l’ABC from Les Misérables (all media):
Patrick Stump and Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy (Band):
— Ingwer
“Impatient to Be Free ” by idiopathicsmile . 19K words, rated Mature.
Fandom: Les Misérables – All Media Types; Ship: f/f Enjolras/Grantaire
Backstory: “In 1957, female cartoonist Grantaire meets some interesting new people, joins a secret society, and attracts the notice of a woman named Enjolras.” The fic fictionalizes the Chicago section of the Daughters of Bilitis which were a real-life lesbian-rights group, founded in San Francisco in 1955.
Rec: Enjolras and Grantaire are one of my favourite ships. Both of them feel deep love for life and people, have opposite but complementary mind sets and experience and debate political struggles. They’re also often surrounded by a group of interesting and entertaining friends (the ami*es) which gives the stories depth. Idiopathicsmile writes funny, very well researched stories and has a deep understanding for relationships and developments.
Content warnings: Period-typical sexism, period-typical homophobia, and some internalized homophobia
“It’s Got a Groove, It’s Got a Meaning” by lady_ragnell. 23K words, rated Teen.
Fandoms: Les Misérables – All Media Types, Grease (movie); Ship: f/f Enjolras/Grantaire
Backstory: Also set in the 50s, this story follows a similar group although being in their teenage years less focused yet on where they are gonna direct their political impetus. The Amies are set in a Grease universe this time and shake it up a bit. People who liked Rizzo’s character in the movie will find some of her themes and characteristics here as well. “Grantaire is the new girl at school, and she doesn’t really know what she’s doing when the Amies befriend her. Most of the Amies, anyway. Their leader doesn’t seem to like her very much.”
Rec: When I think about this story I think about Grantaire’s specific way of resistance in relation to her father, her surroundings, and Enjolras. And again, Enjolras and Grantaire, les amies, see above.
Content warnings: Period-typical sexism, period-typical homophobia
“tell the boys where to find my body” by dear_monday, two_ravens. 45K words, rated Explicit.
Fandoms: Bandom, Fall Out Boy, Andrew McMahon; Ship: Patrick Stump/Pete Wentz, Patrick Stump & Andrew McMahon
Backstory: “New York City, 1958, and somebody wants Pete Wentz dead. Enter Patrick Stump and Andrew McMahon—musicians, small-time criminals and occasional contract killers.” This story has piano playing, well-ironed shirts, hands on trousers, best friends forever, hiding that you’re queer, cooking and also murder, hopeful gay love, and other joyful stuff.
Rec: The plot is captivating, the relationships are sincere and well drawn, and the writing style suits the story very well.
Content warnings: Period-typical homophobia, murder (victim is a very minor character, but still, and the perpetrator is a main character), physical violence, mental health issues
“the cat’s miaow” by Pennyplainknits. 51K words, rated Teen.
Fandoms: Bandom, Fall Out Boy; Ships: Patrick Stump/Pete Wentz, Ryan Ross/Brendon Urie
Backstory: “It looked Iike a simple case for Patrick Stump. Track down Ryan Ross, Vegas musician on the run in California, and reunite him with his worried friends…. [But what to make of his client, Pete Wentz who seems like] trouble wrapped up in charm and tattoos. Can he help solve the case, or distract Patrick enough to get them both killed? Find out in ‘The Cat’s Miaow’......”
Rec: Ooh boy, it is such a fun noir mystery with just a lovely and unaufgeregte (relaxed/laid back) love story. Horrible Vegas heat, guys being too cool for their own good, good music and exciting case solving.
Content warnings: (Genre-typical) physical violence
“A Lonely Impulse of Delight ” by Rosie_Rues. 1.5K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: Merlin BBC; Ship: Gwen/Morgana
Backstory: Spitfire AU where Gwen and Morgana are female pilots of the British Air Transport Auxiliary during the first world war. Merlin BBC had great characters and treated them very poorly. There is great fic in this fandom that actually knows what to do with those characters.
Rec: Even though it is a rather short story, we learn a lot about the two main characters and the world they inhabit. The story hints at a full universe of stories and lets you imagine these women’s lives.
Content warnings: War time, period-typical sexism and homophobia
loved hunger games but still can’t believe that man’s name was coriolanus. i would be calling him anus for short
— °. ✧ 🍵emily🪷✧°. (@uhhmmily) January 20, 2024
FINAL THOUGHT
Femslash February truly is upon us, and we will *definitely* need more recs to put together a month’s worth of lists. If you have a favorite f/f fic, please send it in via our handy form! And it’s helpful if you can note it’s f/f or put “Femslash February” in the themes/tropes field. — Elizabeth