As I’ve been writing new work and talking with some of the readers (thank you, you’re the best!), one thing that has been surprising and heartening is the lack of shame that I find in most of the people I’ve communicated with. A lot of this has to do, I believe, with a degree of anonymity provided by the internet, but there is a larger force at work, too. Despite the marginalization of many groups, there has been growing solidarity found in various communities who have certain tendencies or predilections. This is a wonderful thing.
Once upon a time, indulging in a kinky fantasy life was seen as being indicative of a deviant personality. Societal norms were difficult to navigate for those of us who enjoy a little twist with our sexual fantasies, and the things that really got us hot and squirmy were, by necessity, hidden away and never discussed with anyone else. They were personal kinks that had to be hidden away in the dark corners of our psyche. I have always believed that sunlight is the cure for most things, not the least of which is those odd little interests that make us so delightfully excited. From the racy and tattered paperbacks hidden under mattresses or magazines tucked into the back corner of a closet, or even the video tapes and DVDs that had to be hidden in mislabeled cases for fear of discovery, we have no shortage of ways to hide our perversions (a word I generally detest for its negative implications).
With the advent of the internet, like-minded fetishists have had an opportunity to find one another, to celebrate each other’s imaginations. Though the internet is the vehicle, it is not the overarching reason we may feel more comfortable discussing what turns us on. It’s that we have learned that we are not alone in enjoying something off the beaten path. Moreover, we understand that society has started to open up, to accept others in a way never before seen. I have had dealings with fans in the TG/TS community and the sense of community that accompanies their discussions of identity and community has been heartening, to say the least. The acceptance of self on a personal level, along with those who seem so completely at home in their own skin has been a delight to behold and makes writing stories that cater to that spectrum of readers has been a sincere pleasure, and hearing from readers who have found some thrills in my work is humbling.
For now, I hope to continue to entertain and arouse readers and explore a few of my own kinks along the way.
-L
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