No, no, I've heard you on this issue before, Kelly, and I'm in agreement with you, on the whole. Folks like what they like, and they read and write what they read and write, and "ought" doesn't have much to do with it. But I also think that that spark of desire to read or write Harry/Draco, for example, is culturally developed and not a unquestioned "given" in the equation, and by talking about our habits and preferences and desires, we have the opportunity to change and expand fannish culture. It's an uphill battle; we start with genre shows or movies or books that tend not to question the social order very much (when they're not actively reinforcing power structures), and then we compound the problem by congregating around popular things and things we know others like. Part of the reason Harry/Draco is so popular may be an unquenchable, innate desire to watch two hot white dudes get it on (or whatever, not my cup of tea), but that's not the only reason for their popularity. To the extent that our lack of diversity comes from insecurity writing about women, minor characters, characters of color, or various characters who are perceived to raise "issues" in fic for whatever reason, talking can only help.

I'm not saying that Minerva/Hooch is ever going to rival Harry/Draco, but it can always be more popular than it is. Part of my desire to read and write that pairing is the joy of encountering other folks who read and write it, and that's one of the engines driving fandom.

That said, I tend not to enjoy explicit fic of any sort, or overt romance, really, and so I always feel like I'm missing out on some of underlying logic of fandom.

So, yes, I'm with you on the "ought," but I do think that fandom learns and grows (indeed, quite a few people seem to be here to explore their sexuality or talk about gender or identity politics) and we may need practice at coming up with themes and characters that actually help us develop in those directions. M.