M/M writers bingo card

Paul G. Bens, Jr. August 23, 2010 at 7:24 PM

   Well, I’ve no ability to post a picture, so I’m transcribing the M/M Bingo Card, a list of common tactics that some m/m writers use to derail or deflect valid criticism or justify their work. Some of them have been used quite frequently here in this discussion.

   TOP ROW:

   BUT I LIKE IT / IT’S HAWT.
   BUT I DON’T MEAN TO BE OFFENSIVE.
   THEN WHY DON’T YOU TEACH ME HOW NOT TO BE OFFENSIVE.
   YOU’RE JUST JEALOUS OF MY SUCCESS.
   FETISHIZING DOESN’T MAKE THEM THE “OTHER”.

   SECOND ROW:

   BUT I GIVE MONEY TO (INSERT GAY CHARITY NAME).
   I USE A PSEUDONYM TO AVOID HOMOPHOBIA.
   MY BOOKS SELL, DO YOURS?
   IT’S JUST FICTION/ FANTASY…DO YOU HAVE TO BE AN ELF TO WRITE ELVES?
   DON’T LIKE IT; DON’T READ IT.

   THIRD ROW

   HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT IF WE TOLD YOU WHAT YOU CAN WRITE?
   MY GAY FRIEND/EDITOR/ GARDENER SAYS…
   CENTER SQUARE: YOU’RE SAYING STRAIGHT PEOPLE AREN’T ALLOWED TO WRITE GAY FICTION.
   I LOVE GAY PEOPLE/HAVE LOTS OF GAY FRIENDS.
   YOU’RE JUST OVER SENSITIVE.

   FOURTH ROW

   GAY PEOPLE DO IT/SAY IT, WHY CAN’T I?
   I KNOW MY BIO SAYS I’M (INSERT ORIENTATION) BUT I’M REALLY (INSERT DIFFERENT ORIENTATION ).
   I HATE HETERO ROMANCE BECAUSE THE WOMEN ARE SO BADLY DRAWN.
   I’VE HAD A TOUGH LIFE (aka White Women’s Tears adapted for usage).
   JUST BECAUSE I’M STRAIGHT DOESN’T MEAN I DON’T UNDERSTAND DOWN TO MY UTTER CORE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE GAY/OPPRESSED.

   FIFTH ROW:

   YOU’RE WRONG GAY PEOPLE.
   I REFUSE TO BOW TO POLITICAL CORRECTNESS.
   YOUR (GAY) OPINION ABOUT GAY ISSUES ISN’T ANY MORE IMPORTANT THAN MY (STRAIGHT) OPINION ABOUT GAY ISSUES.
   IT’S NOT OFFENSIVE.
   OPPRESSING M/M WRITERS IS JUST LIKE THE PERSECUTION OF THE GAYS BY (INSERT EVIL REGIME).