Discussion Friday

[geraineon]

Time for Discussion Friday again!

This time, inspired by my very rapid descent into a Chinese otome game that tried to be culturally sensitive by translating "哥哥" (older brother*) into "childhood friend" in English, what are your thoughts and feelings about incest/pseudo-incest in fiction?

If you enjoy it, why do you enjoy it?

If you find it uncomfortable, is it for all incest/pseudo-incest related tropes, or are there situations where you are more likely to be okay with them and situations where it's a squick?

(Feel free to share any other related thoughts. I trust you all to be respectful to each other's preferences in fiction!)

*brother, very loosely, because it is not always someone related.

Comments

[geraineon]

I understand why they did it XD I guess it's to prevent any drama about "problematic incest ships". But it is weird to hear the audio going "gege" (if playing in Chinese) or "niisan" (if playing in Japanese) and the EN sub saying "childhood friend" and it definitely changes the dynamics of this couple, imo.

I dislike pseudo-incest when it's basically a "get out of jail free" card too. Like, commit to it if you're gonna do it and not suddenly reveal that one of them has been adopted! I don't mind if the story leans into the forbidden fruit thing, even if pseudo-incest, because growing up together as siblings as also lead to complex feelings about crossing the line.

Edited to add: also, the uneven power dynamic between people who grew up together who might have always been in a role of protector/guardian vs. protected/ward, so even if it's pseudo-incest, all these things are still present.

[autodach]

not suddenly reveal that one of them has been adopted!

Ugh I was reminded of a particularly bad offender, Fire Emblem Fates. In this game, you can romance and marry your step-siblings and siblings. Expect if it's the latter, your spouse will suddenly be revealed to be adopted. Noone in this family is blood related. How convenient!

so even if it's pseudo-incest, all these things are still present

Yes, that makes sense. I think in the end, it comes down to what you're trying to do, if you're leaning into it, or trying to somehow play the incest kink save. The author needs to be into it, whether it's incest or pseudo-incest.

[geraineon]

Oof, that's disappointing. Truly a cop-out.

[anehan]

Like, commit to it if you're gonna do it and not suddenly reveal that one of them has been adopted!

I find that adopted thing interesting in a baffling way, because the only forbidden aspect it really removes the genetical similarity, which really only matters if the characters are going to have children. All the power dynamics etc. will stay intact, which makes it feel even more of a cop-out to me. Like it's a cop-out that doesn't even bother to actually cop out much anything.

[geraineon]

I think it just shows how much people do not understand that the problem with incest is not just genetic similarity, it's also about the dynamics.