A taboo Subject

[MSTarot]

To begin with I want to say that I'm not quite sure of the question I am asking. I simply took notice of something that kind of set off a bell in my back brain that wont stop ringing.

Or that could be the Salvation army lady by the store near here. Shrug.

Anyway. I was looking down the category list trying to find one that fit the story I wrote. None really did so I dropped it into Erotic coupling. It was in doing that I noticed that there were two categories that are split. I've seen them before of course but never really focused on the differences. Mainly of one.

Now NonConsent/Reluctance has been argued to death on many posts I wont really put jumper cables to those two again. No need they will hop back to life on their own.

Incest/Taboo was the one that caught my eye. The description next to it is 'Keeping it in the Family'. Well that describes incest well enough...but Taboo?

There are hundreds of things that our world considers taboo. A lot of them we can't write about here because of good tastes and site rules. But what about some of the others?

How well ,just an example, would a story placed there about lets say Age-Play be accepted? It has nothing to do with mommy and Daddy unless you wish it to yet it can be a very Taboo subject.

Could you even write about it here?

Not that I want to, it's just a question. Not my particular kind of fun, nor really one I care to write about. But some might.

Right off hand I could probably come up with a good dozen that are like that.

Now I know that Incest has been linked with the word Taboo since the 70s when the lovely Kay Parker made her movies. It's a taboo subject certainly but hardly the only one.

I guess the question I'm asking is should that category be used just to post Incest stories? If so then why the /Taboo? If not then what would be the truly Taboo stories for this site. Beyond the ones covered by the house rules?

Are there any? Is it just a matter of good taste keeping certain types of stories off site?

In different places around the world so many things are Taboo and this site is seen in so many countries how could you keep it non Taboo?

It wasn't so long ago that even a kiss was taboo.

M.S.Tarot

 

[Darkniciad]

Don't bother posting anything to that category that isn't incest or pseudo incest.

Regardless of the category name, the readership has defined it as they please, and they're the only ones that really matter, when it comes to how your story is received.

Most any other taboo allowed by Lit could be posted elsewhere to good result, without the incest readers 1-bombing you and leaving nasty comments.

A babysitter story will most likely work just as well in Mature. A lot of things could be covered by Fetish. You're much better off looking for alternatives, and pretending the "Taboo" part of the category name doesn't exist.

The category regularly has comments about cousins not being incest. Some of them are that narrow in their definition.

 

[sr71plt]

Humor and Satire are paired too. And I've seen comments on satires that say, "I didn't find this funny." Well, no, it doesn't have to be if it's a satire.

 

[Darkniciad]

Humor and Satire are paired too. And I've seen comments on satires that say, "I didn't find this funny." Well, no, it doesn't have to be if it's a satire.

That's a fairly recent phenomenon, though -- and not universal. Many of the top stories in the category are most certainly satire, such as "The Double Ds Play D&D"

 

[soflabbwlvr]

Good question

I haven't been around here long enough to know the answer, but I won't let that stop me from offering a few guesses. My best guess is that it is just another of those clumsy category titles that was not fully fully thought out before implementation, with the "taboo" intended as a redundancy for "incest." This would be consistent with the thinking behind "Loving Wives," which I believe was originally intended as "hot wives;" and "Mature," which the description indicates is for "May/December" type stories, although the title suggest something much broader.

Alternatively, it may have been a well thought out attempt to encompass those stories which absolutely involve incest (blood relatives), as well as those in other familial relationships (step-parent/step-child (over 18), "in-laws", adopted family members, etc.), that are not technically incest.

Or, they may actually have considered other taboo relationships, such as teacher/student, boss/employee, military officer/enlistee, etc.

 

[oggbashan]

There could be stories that are Taboo but not Incest.

Off the top of my head:

Couples from either side of warring factions e.g. Israeli/Palestinian (the Romeo and Juliet idea).

Relationships that are taboo because of professional ethics - doctor/patient, professor/student.

Couples divided by religious belief.

Being homosexual in Nigeria.

In those examples, I imagine that breaking the Taboo would be a significant part of the plot and the reactions of those around them would feature strongly.

 

[sr71plt]

I think the being homosexual in Nigeria would to go in GM or lesbian, depending . . .

Where would heterosexual water sports (not that I'm looking to write one) go. Would that go in taboo?

And where would sex with the mentally ill go (again, not that I'm . . .)

 

[Darkniciad]

But, those taboo stories would either be ignored or actively shunned in the Incest/Taboo category, because the readers have defined the category as incest only.

Hetero watersports would be Fetish.

Professor student would do much better in Mature.

Israeli/Palestinian would probably do much better in Romance, or maybe Interracial as a back-up option.

There's a far better option for all of these, absent a true, separate Taboo category.

 

[oggbashan]

But, those taboo stories would either be ignored or actively shunned in the Incest/Taboo category, because the readers have defined the category as incest only.

...
There's a far better option for all of these, absent a true, separate Taboo category.

I agree that Incest/Taboo IS Incest only. I was making the point that Taboo plots are possible.

 

[MSTarot]

And where would sex with the mentally ill go (again, not that I'm . . .)

NonConsent?

I seem to remember hearing or reading about a case where a guy was charged with rape by the family of his girl friend. She was in and out of institutions and they said she mentally couldn't give consent.

Don't remember if he was found guilty or innocent.

The story I wrote, the one that got me looking at the categories, had to do with a nun. I was at a loss as to where to place it. EC finally seemed best since it was consensual.

 

[Darkniciad]

NonConsent?

I seem to remember hearing or reading about a case where a guy was charged with rape by the family of his girl friend. She was in and out of institutions and they said she mentally couldn't give consent.

I think you nailed it there.

 

[Tyro999]

[Replying to sr71plt's question "And where would sex with the mentally ill go (again, not that I'm . . .)"

NonConsent?

I seem to remember hearing or reading about a case where a guy was charged with rape by the family of his girl friend. She was in and out of institutions and they said she mentally couldn't give consent.

Don't remember if he was found guilty or innocent.

...

I've lived in Alexandria Va (a suburb of Washington DC) for the last 30 years, and there have been several cases over that time, in DC, MD, and VA that have resulted in guilty verdicts for having sex with a woman who was mentally incompetent to consent to having sex.

["Several cases" is prolly less than 10; given my aging memory I can't come up with a closer count than 7-10.]

Tyro

 

[sun_sea_sky]

What about a general having an affair with his biographer? Would that be taboo?

Oh wait, someone's done that one.

 

[3113]

Incest/Taboo = Incest

Incest/Taboo was the one that caught my eye. The description next to it is 'Keeping it in the Family'. Well that describes incest well enough...but Taboo?

There are hundreds of things that our world considers taboo. A lot of them we can't write about here because of good tastes and site rules. But what about some of the others?

How well ,just an example, would a story placed there about lets say Age-Play be accepted? It has nothing to do with mommy and Daddy unless you wish it to yet it can be a very Taboo subject.

Could you even write about it here?

I suspect that when the Incest/Taboo category was started, there were likely fewer categories and so other taboos might have gone into that section as well. Like interracial (which, in some stories, carried a "taboo" to it depending on the cultures or time periods involved) or that Age-Play you were talking about (which would go in Mature, by the way).

At this point the "Incest/Taboo" category really doesn't have many other types of taboo other than the one that says "don't have sex with a close relative!" That is mostly due to the fact that readers of that category don't want to read anything other than Incest stories--which are hugely popular. And so they dominate the category. The second reason is because almost all other taboos have other categories that are far more apt for them. Like Mature for age taboos, interracial for taboos between different races, BDSM for those taboos, gay/lesbian for homosexual taboos, transexual for that taboo, etc.

And the third reason is that any untouched taboos aren't allowed on Literotica (aka, you can't have a story where a person has sex with an animal--which likely would be the only taboo not covered by other categories. Even taboos about having sex with animal like creatures--werewolves, tentacled aliens--is covered by other categories: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Horror).

Really, the list of categories needs an overhaul, one which should remove the long defunct and pretty much pointless "taboo" part from the "Incest/Taboo" category.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Really, the list of categories needs an overhaul, ...

which we users have agreed about since I started here; and which doesn't look like it will ever happen. Like, I doubt that there will ever be a "Bisexual" category. Disappointing.

 

[SevenSquared]

Being homosexual in Nigeria.
.

Even ignoring reader comments, could you imagine the indignation of the forum thought police if you dared to suggest through categorisation that homosexuality was 'taboo'?

 

[Stella_Omega]

Even ignoring reader comments, could you imagine the indignation of the forum thought police if you dared to suggest through categorisation that homosexuality was 'taboo'?

the key phrase there wasn't "being homosexual" but "in Nigeria."

Where it is considered a criminal offense;

The bill by Africa's most populous nation calls for a 14-year sentence for anyone convicted of homosexuality. Anyone who aids or "abets" same-sex unions faces 10 years in prison, a provision that could target rights groups.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/11/30/world/africa/africa-gay-rights

and by the way, no one here has the ability to actually "police thought." We do, many of us, have the ability to argue against thoughtless opinions. If the arguments seems to be uncomfortably effective-- that would be a measure of the facts they are based on.

 

[SevenSquared]

the key phrase there wasn't "being homosexual" but "in Nigeria."

Yeah I got that, but I still think a lot of people wouldn't take kindly to it.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Yeah I got that, but I still think a lot of people wouldn't take kindly to it.

Now that I think of it, Laurel would recategorise it as gay, on her own bat before it was ever published.

the taboos are relative to our society, not to Nigerian mores...

 

[oggbashan]

Now that I think of it, Laurel would recategorise it as gay, on her own bat before it was ever published.

the taboos are relative to our society, not to Nigerian mores...

I could produce a story about the impact of being homosexual in Nigeria that should be categorised as Taboo IF the Incest/Taboo category wasn't exclusively Incest.

It wouldn't be about homosexual sex, but about the difficulties of living in a society that criminalises your love.

But I won't. It would get even lower ratings than my norm.

 

[Weird Harold]

Really, the list of categories needs an overhaul, one which should remove the long defunct and pretty much pointless "taboo" part from the "Incest/Taboo" category.

The Category was originally just "Incest."

The "Taboo" qualifier was added, (I think,) because of purists that argued step/foster-sibling/step/foster-parent involvement wasn't legally incest in most western jurisdictions. IIRC, there were some long "where do I put it" discussions about exactly what qualified for the 'Incest Category.' (Discussions that went away once they added "Taboo.")

 

[SevenSquared]

The Category was originally just "Incest."

The "Taboo" qualifier was added, (I think,) because of purists that argued step/foster-sibling/step/foster-parent involvement wasn't legally incest in most western jurisdictions. IIRC, there were some long "where do I put it" discussions about exactly what qualified for the 'Incest Category.' (Discussions that went away once they added "Taboo.")

Why didn't they just call it 'Family' or 'Incest and Relatives' (or something)?

Note, that was a rhetorical question, I don't actually expect you to know the answer, although if you do even better.

 

[sr71plt]

Even ignoring reader comments, could you imagine the indignation of the forum thought police if you dared to suggest through categorisation that homosexuality was 'taboo'?

Oh, I don't know about that. Some of the regulars post it in jabs as if it is taboo--or at least something to be ashamed of--and most of the rest of the forum just breezes by it.

 

[sr71plt]

The Category was originally just "Incest."

The "Taboo" qualifier was added, (I think,) because of purists that argued step/foster-sibling/step/foster-parent involvement wasn't legally incest in most western jurisdictions. IIRC, there were some long "where do I put it" discussions about exactly what qualified for the 'Incest Category.' (Discussions that went away once they added "Taboo.")

I did wonder if this was the case. Makes sense.

 

[3113]

The Category was originally just "Incest."

The "Taboo" qualifier was added, (I think,) because of purists that argued step/foster-sibling/step/foster-parent involvement wasn't legally incest in most western jurisdictions. IIRC, there were some long "where do I put it" discussions about exactly what qualified for the 'Incest Category.' (Discussions that went away once they added "Taboo.")

Ah. That makes it clear--but clearly it also confused matter rather than clarifying