Dirty Old Broad
| Synonyms: | DOB |
| See also: | Slash Slut, Porn, Smut |
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Dirty Old Broad is a term that was used in early Star Trek: TOS fandom to describe a female fan who writes or draws erotica or porn in fanfic.
While the term was used much earlier, it was given high visibility and popularized in fandom in 1974 by M.L. "Steve" Barnes used the term, along with a detailed explanation, in the mass market book Star Trek Lives!.
The publishers of the adult Star Trek zine, Grup, called their press, D.O.B. in reference to the term.
In September 1985, in a tribute to fan writer M.L. "Steve" Barnes, writer/editor Judith Brownlee said: "Stevie, and Carrie and I thought of ourselves as the original DOB's (Dirty Old Broads)." [1]
Some fans brought this term over to other fandoms to which they had migrated. Some examples of its use can be seen in Starsky & Hutch letterzines as well as in some Beauty and the Beast (TV) fiction zines.
Examples of Use
1972
I hope to see you a con sometime. I look forward to nattering about the show, the Vulcans, and the good ship E. or what have you, with you all. This is whether you are neos. Dirty Old Broads, young men with a deep yen to get your hands on those Phaser buttons, or Dirty Old Pros. [2]
1975
Diane Marchant wrote an article on the Kirk/Spock homosexual love affair premise that’s been buzzing around fannish conversations for at least a year. The idea is an interesting permutation, but Diane’s argument fails to convince because she failed to document her evidence thoroughly, and there’s a tone of 'dirty old broad getting her rocks off, heh heh' that distracts from the argument and debases the premise.[3]
Block's and Bayard's DOB ((Dirty Old Broad, re: GRUP) tone [in the story To Need a Friend] about the ending was rather unsophisticated. [4]
1978
I, personally, want to thank all the people who have supported this zine by submitting material and by subscribing to it. You are all Dirty Old Broads. [5]
1981
As I see it, we can hide out and avoid exposing ourselves or our work to criticism, but we can miss a lot of good fellowship and enlightenment that way, or we can let it all hang out, so to speak, expose ourselves (did I hear a snicker? I'm speaking philosophically, you dirty old broads!) to criticism, and train ourselves to handle it. [6]
1983
...we've been under considerable pressure from all of you to do another adult McCoy issue. Well, even though we are self-confessed D.O.B.'s, we cannot write it all ourselves! So this is an official notice that we are now accepting well-written, plausible submissions (male/female material only) for an adult McCoy 7.5. [7]
1984
Oh come one, pick ONE favorite crotch shot??? ONE??? ARE YOU MAD??? You must be joking! I tried being ruthless. Being ruthless left me with about a running count of about 2,000. That was after I tossed out all the mere borderline favorites (I'm a charger member of the Dirty Old Broads International, remember...). I simply can't pick a favorite, not with all that talent wandering about loose for the eyes to feast on [9]
1986
1989
We're ashamed of ourselves. We're ready to turn in our Dirty Old Broads membership cards.... (By the way, there is no truth to the rumor that I was seen, several weeks ago, falling to my knees in Susan's front yard, lifting my arms to heaven and crying out, "Oh thank you, God of all DOBs! THANK YOU!" [11]
Pat Friedman was a bawdy, irreverent, self-professed 'Dirty Old Broad'. I miss her rowdy laughter. A true Aquarian, she would argue a lost cause till hell froze over--but if you made your point, concede with grace and hold no grudge. A rare combination. She was a stubborn, obtuse, argumentative, nit-picking, down-in-the-dirt pragmatist - and also a misty-eyed idealist with the soul of a poet and her eyes on the stars. She saw no inconsistency in this--and neither do I. If you were her friend, you were lucky, for she was brutally honest with you, ferociously loyal to you--and as dependable as sunrise. She was the personification of IDIC.
I loved her more than I knew. And I'll miss her far the rest of my life. [12]
1991
For those of you who wish to join the "Dirty Ole Broads," which was founded by Pam Igo, all you have to do is send in a SASE with your request. and a membership certificate will be mailed to you. Membership is limited to those female fans of "Beauty and the Beast" who qualify. To qualify a woman must know a good set of 'buns" when she see them, and be able to call a "Hunk Alert" at a moment's notice. Do any of you qualify? [13]
1994
Slash... why ask why? We're a bunch of dirty old broads. That's why. [14]
References
- ^ from Datazine #37
- ^ from Eridani Triad #3
- ^ a review of Grup from Connie Faddis in The Halkan Council #12
- ^ from Pat McCormack in Warped Space #15
- ^ from the editor of Grup #6
- ^ from S and H #21, May 1981
- ^ from the editorial in Odyssey #7
- ^ from Between Friends #3
- ^ from The Hatstand Express #3
- ^ from K/S & K.S. (Kindred Spirits) #18 (1986)
- ^ from Tell Me Something I Don't Know! #12
- ^ from the editorial of Way of the Warrior #3
- ^ from the editorial of Tunnels of Love #5 (1991)
- ^ comment at Lysator on June 14, 1994