"Fandom's Pornographic Subset"

Abstract

This article draws on content analysis method research (n = 78) that looks at a specific subset of fan fiction: anonymous kink meme communities where mostly women request and write erotic or pornographic fan texts. Reporting on an online survey, this article discusses what kind of role kink meme communities play in the lives of the respondents, how kink meme stories are situated in the larger framework of pornography, and how the respondents view the stories that incorporate unsettling or taboo subjects, such as sexual abuse of children, rape, or incest. This article views kink meme communities as a special subset of fan fic- tion, and in the article kink meme writing is compared to other forms of female- centric erotica or pornography. The article outlines how kink meme communities, like many other female-centric online communities, can function as places where women and gender minorities can write erotic material that better resonates with them and discuss and explore their sexualities and sexual preferences. Kink meme communities are also shown to utilise queer female writing practices in how they discuss and broaden the cultural view on female sexuality and women’s enjoyment of pornographic material. In addition to this, kink memes are also shown to function as literary communities where some fans can practise their writing.