(no subject)

Dear people on LJ campaigning for 'responsible' writing,

Thanks for reminding me why it was that when I first went online in 1998, I thought it would be a really good idea to use a pseudonym rather than my real name. I know that over the years people have accused me of being paranoid (or even, in one case of a hypocritical individual who's now doing the same thing she dissed us for, dishonest), but I kind of like having a job. Particularly, since mine is one of those jobs where it would be infinitely more socially acceptable to be a lesbian (and also, thanks to UK legislation, much more protected by law) than to be a straight woman writing fiction of varying levels of explicitness about gay men doing what gay men have been doing since the dawn of time.

I have always been aware of the fact it would only take one crazy person in the 'omg, dun say [the character I like] is gay!11!1!!!' brigade of my various fandoms to make life incredibly uncomfortable for me, if I had not chosen to keep work and my private life firmly segregated. And doubtless they'd find some reason to ask why someone didn't think of the (fictional) children, even if the people in my fic are always over the age of consent - I guess the fact that some of them were having gay sex before it was legal, or indeed in states where it's not legal now, might be enough to label me 'irresponsible'? ;)

Thanks for the reinforcement,
Me