shipping isn’t activism but let’s not underestimate the literally transformative power of oceans of happy life-affirming queer stories being available online free of charge to any terrified and confused kid who would like to be a little less terrified and confused
I spent thirty plus years thinking I was broken, and then fanfiction introduced me to the concept of asexuality in a way I could relate to. Don’t tell me this stuff isn’t valuable.
I went to a talk at my grad school where a professor of sexuality and queer studies found that gay fanfiction INCREASED sex positivity in LGBTQ+ teens.
Aka, reading fanfiction helped them feel better about their sexualities.
Fanfiction IS important.