sporangia

I enjoy the Mpreg trope because it is a subversive take on the masculine escape narrative--which is at the core of many slash pairings. In slash, uniquely, the sidekick, the buddy becomes the lover. What Mpreg does is force one or both paired characters to circle back into the necessary structures of civilization, order, family and responsibility. It does this by sensitizing one of the pair (usually the pregnant one) into a situation where they experience the perspective of vulnerability that pregnancy puts them in or ostensibly the female perspective. This story structure offers a unique way to play with complex social, sexual and gender issues. Not everyone likes this trope because it undermines the prime fantasy of the slash ideal--that relationships of equality--of mind, body, soul and power are the only relationships truly worth having. Your story contradicts the Mpreg trope and upholds the traditional slash relationship-equality as the most important value. I’m not disagreeing with that, I just think it is a brave perspective buried within one of the slash ‘ideal’ anti-tropes. I think this is why you don’t find many Mpreg abortion stories,

In your story John rejects the role of (alien baby) child bearer with good reason. But it also reinforces powerful things about his character and the escape from whatever is driving him toward his metaphorical and real frontier... I do not mean I think john should be forced to bear and raise an unwanted child. I am speaking in generalized terms about all of his life choices. Whatever ‘hole’ in center of his life that he’s running from is the thing I’m curious about Mpreg stories usually make ‘confrontations with inner demons’ the inevitable hub of their plots and relentless biology puts issues of power and equality into a whole different frame of analysis.

That is why the ending of your story was full of sadness for me on lots of levels. It hurts to watch Sheppard wage and win a battle for body integrity and self determination, and yet know that the costs of his battle will ultimately take him further into isolation and sadness. And even sadder in this case John will be dragging Rodney along with him until one or both die as a consequence of their very dangerous addiction to ‘fast planes’, alien worlds and each other. The fact that they are equal soul-mates and deeply committed lovers on their wild ride doesn’t compensate for the eventuality that they are going to end badly. This is what the Mpreg trope, among others, tries to mitigate and that is why so many fans including me want to read it.

Again thanks for writing your thoughtful and amazing story.