Mpreg

[dreamer_easy]

Serious defences of / praise for the genre welcome in response to this message - no flames or teasing, please, folks, I'm honestly interested. Anonymous posts OK for this one.

Comments

[versaphile.livejournal.com]

Depends on if it's done for farce, smut, or plot purposes.

Farce is obvious: it's funny to see a guy get pregnant and deal with the accompanying physical and emotional changes. Also it's a bit of revenge. ;-)

Smut: well, it's a kink, innit? Plays well with a lot of cross-gender, body transformation, and other related areas of kink. Forbidden, wrong, yet strangely intriguing, as the saying goes.

Plot: In a way it's the ultimate realization of the gender-boundary smashing that is slash. Take the tendency for a top/bottom dynamic in a m/m pairing, where the bottom is very often the more passive/sensitive/geeky/"feminine" of the two. Combine that with the idea that a lot of the emotional side of slash is the creation of a romantic (even married) couple. What do couples do? They have children. The combination of the two lovers into a new life is that ultimate realization of love. In a way, it's only natural.

How's that?

[antikythera.livejournal.com]

I think she just said everything I wanted to say. If anyone knows of some really good mpreg, I'd read it. I seem to find that, especially in the latter case, characterisation gets destroyed because the pregnant guy ends up acting like 'a woman', i.e. weepy and emotional and over-cuddly.

[drox.livejournal.com]

...the pregnant guy ends up acting like 'a woman', i.e. weepy and emotional and over-cuddly.

Yeah, they do, don't they. Which is weird, because since when do (pregnant) women act that way? Emotional, sure. But cuddly? I'm thinking of that part in "Charmed" where pregnant Phoebe turns evil. Only she ends up destroying/vanquishing/ass-whupping more demons than she ever did when she was their enemy. Because when she was preggers, she had a hell of a temper! And being evil, she's surrounded by demons all the time, and they're always annoying her. So of course they have to die! (or whatever it is that demons do when they stop, well, living)

Cuddly my ass!

If anyone knows of some really good mpreg, I'd read it.

I second that. But I think it'd have to be something SF'ish, like a pregnant ALIEN guy (alien reproductive biology may be waaay different), or a guy from the far future where technology allows that sort of thing. Otherwise suspension of disbelief becomes a bit of a problem for me (YMMV).

It may be related to my problem of canonically straight characters suddenly becoming gay. These things (love affairs, pregnancies, drastic shifts in character) generally happen for a *reason*. Too many fics ignore the reason part.

[antikythera.livejournal.com]

It may be related to my problem of canonically straight characters suddenly becoming gay.

See, that I don't have a problem with... if I think the canonical character is straight, I treat the fic as something of an AU and everything's fine.

In a lot of science fiction, 'science' is just another word for magic. Most science fiction is not plausible; the plot comes first and the reason is secondary. The point is to tell the story about 'what would happen if'.

The stories I have a problem with are the ones where the writer is clearly doing it just to see Snape or Mulder or whoever get cuddly and weepy, and where there's not enough substance otherwise to keep other readers interested.

[drox.livejournal.com]

In a lot of science fiction, 'science' is just another word for magic.

Oh, absolutely. And I don't mind if the reason a male character ends up pregnant is because they inadvertently picked up the Magickal Talisman of Fertility, or the reason a straight character develops an attraction for someone of the same sex is because someone used a love potion on them. Magic is okay if it's well written. My point (which I might not have made well) is that there has to be a reason (for why characters fall in love, or why they get preg-o).

The stories I have a problem with are the ones where the writer is clearly doing it just to see Snape or Mulder or whoever get cuddly and weepy

Agreed. And for the same reason. If the writer takes the time to explain *why* Snape would lust after, say, Hagrid, or *why* Mulder developed a huge crush on Skinner, it might be understandable. What I don't like is Lazy Writer Syndrome, where they write the naughty sex parts without explaining anything about why the characters fell in love (or lust as the case may be). Otherwise it's just out-of-character writing.

[drox.livejournal.com]

...or why they get preg-o.

Of course, it's normally because mommy and daddy love each other verrrry muuuuch, but I was thinking specifically of why *male* characters get preg-o.

BTW has anyone else read Rudy Rucker's "Rapture In Space"? It's a neat little (mpreg) short story that actually does a decent job of explaining how/why. And the protagonist *doesn't* get all weepy/cuddly. He *does* get emotional, but it's more along the lines of "It's giga ouch" and "I want an abortion" (both actual quotes from the story). Panic, IOW.

[nostalgia-lj.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they do, don't they. Which is weird, because since when do (pregnant) women act that way? Emotional, sure. But cuddly? I'm thinking of that part in "Charmed" where pregnant Phoebe turns evil.

See, I'm told by a transexual I know online that sudden injections of hormones can make you go all OTT emotionally, but I get the feeling most people writing mpreg don't *know* that and are just over-compemsating. What, like men don't like kids unless they're turned into women? Err... wtf?!

Sort of related is the way they always want to, like, have the baby even though it's insanely dangerous. But I have Issues with how fic gets all "Omg no it child of OUR LOVE" about abortion when the pregnancy is due to some weird shit like aliens. "Hey, I've been knocked up by aliens. CHILD OF OUR LOVE!" *headdesk* It's not like I want them all to abort the thing - because, hey, pregnancy/baby fic so they can't really - I'd just like some actual consideration of the thing when it's an unexpected and usually bizarre pregnancy.

[versaphile.livejournal.com]

It's mostly in the farce category, but Bagender's LOTR mpreg (http://bagenders.stormpages.com/pregnant.html) is the best mpreg I've ever seen. Hilarious and even touching here and there.

[nostalgia-lj.livejournal.com]

Plot: In a way it's the ultimate realization of the gender-boundary smashing that is slash. Take the tendency for a top/bottom dynamic in a m/m pairing, where the bottom is very often the more passive/sensitive/geeky/"feminine" of the two. Combine that with the idea that a lot of the emotional side of slash is the creation of a romantic (even married) couple. What do couples do? They have children. The combination of the two lovers into a new life is that ultimate realization of love. In a way, it's only natural.

I think I'm weird because half the time I don't see the gender-smashing thing in slash. I mean, sometimes yeah and all well and good, but then the rest of the time it's making one man into what a woman is "supposed to be" and that... okay, that sort of creeps me out a bit.

*worries is weird in some way*

[versaphile.livejournal.com]

Don't worry, you are weird.

[nostalgia-lj.livejournal.com]

Ah, good good!

[severa.livejournal.com]

Red Dwarf, "Parallel Universe". In this case Mpreg made absolute sense (sorta) and was amazing.

Oh, and Futurama when Kif was pregnant with Amy's babies.

Hmm...so the trend seems to be when it's done for comedic purposes and/or to comment on gender roles.

I just don't admit the obsession with it, and why every male character must find a way to get pregnant in fic. I suppose it's an area that a person needs to proceed with caution in, and like a lot of things needs to be done really well for it to work. Though once I had a dream where Archie Kennedy from the Hornblower movies was pregnant. ?.? ...God, and I think William was the other parent *buries face in hand*

[wishfulaces.livejournal.com]

My Doctor icon and myself are gobsmacked at your icon.

[ide-cyan.livejournal.com]

Do Time Lord icons use... protection?

[wishfulaces.livejournal.com]

*raises eyebrows*

I've never thought to ask...

[nostalgia-lj.livejournal.com]

Will your icon become pregannt?

[wishfulaces.livejournal.com]

That's just what we all need...

[drox.livejournal.com]

That's just what we all need...

Ooooh yeah. *Mastericon* winds up preg-o after shagging Doctoricon unprotected. Insists on carrying kidlet to term and keeping it (child of OUR LOVE!!!).

Finally it's Doctoricon's turn to say "BWAhahahaha!"

Talk about yer dysfunctional family...

[wishfulaces.livejournal.com]

I think we've come dangerously close to something like this in the RPG...well, I do remember to my shame the Doctor saying "I am your Master and you will obey *me*" anyway...

[severa.livejournal.com]

My absent Master icon is currently shagging [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com]'s Doctor icon.

Yours will be next.

[wishfulaces.livejournal.com]

My Doctor icon...is probably looking forward to it, the little--*mutter mutter*

[ashamel.livejournal.com]

So this isn't a new video format then?

David C
(As unhelpful as ever)

I do remember certain female commentators being quite upset with that Arnie movie, but can't say I have personal opinions one way or another. I wouldn't seek it out, which may not surprise you.