I mean, that's a good question! And I admit, I do feel like I'm trying to nail jelly to a wall. *thinks for a while* Let me see...
I guess in this case, I'm judging "think it's okay," by other records of the author's/creator's actions of statement and belief. The creative work alone can not be evidence on its own; it can ONLY be supplemental to more direct statements of the creator's belief, and even then, it has to be used carefully.
For example: I don't know if Piers Anthony was a pedophile, and I would never say he was one; I much prefer to think he would never hurt a child! But I CAN say that his work has a lot of children having sex with much older adults, and I can quote his author's notes where he says that child/adult sex shouldn't be treated so harshly, and that incest might be a natural blossoming of parenthood. I can cite those books and author's notes, and say that they made me feel creeped out.
But saying that isn't intended as shaming. It's purely describing what he's written and said in the books I've read, and my ensuing reaction. He may or may not be a creep, but I do find it creepy. That's on me.
But in the fic you describe, I don't know anything about the author, so I can't make that call. The creep factor for me has to be involved with a creator I know more about--because the work alone isn't enough. I know what I believed when I wrote when I was younger, which was why I used myself as an example. I don't think it's shaming my younger self to say I found the work creepy; I think it's just a statement of the reactions it inspired in me, and possibly others, and why.
Especially since often, even the creepiest creators, if I know them well enough, don't make me think, "ew, you're such a gross person, get away from me, feel shame!" They just make me feel sad for them. Does that make any sense?
no subject
I guess in this case, I'm judging "think it's okay," by other records of the author's/creator's actions of statement and belief. The creative work alone can not be evidence on its own; it can ONLY be supplemental to more direct statements of the creator's belief, and even then, it has to be used carefully.
For example: I don't know if Piers Anthony was a pedophile, and I would never say he was one; I much prefer to think he would never hurt a child! But I CAN say that his work has a lot of children having sex with much older adults, and I can quote his author's notes where he says that child/adult sex shouldn't be treated so harshly, and that incest might be a natural blossoming of parenthood. I can cite those books and author's notes, and say that they made me feel creeped out.
But saying that isn't intended as shaming. It's purely describing what he's written and said in the books I've read, and my ensuing reaction. He may or may not be a creep, but I do find it creepy. That's on me.
But in the fic you describe, I don't know anything about the author, so I can't make that call. The creep factor for me has to be involved with a creator I know more about--because the work alone isn't enough. I know what I believed when I wrote when I was younger, which was why I used myself as an example. I don't think it's shaming my younger self to say I found the work creepy; I think it's just a statement of the reactions it inspired in me, and possibly others, and why.
Especially since often, even the creepiest creators, if I know them well enough, don't make me think, "ew, you're such a gross person, get away from me, feel shame!" They just make me feel sad for them. Does that make any sense?