Gayfic

Synonyms:	slash
See also:	Slash vs. Gay, WNGWJLEO, issuefic
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Gayfic is an older term for slash stories that portrayed characters as part of modern gay (sub)culture. This term was in contrast to the prevailing idea in slashdom at the time of We're Not Gay; We Just Love Each Other, which has since been criticized as homophobic.

Other definitions are also in circulation. For example, "a fic that revolves around characters who are actually gay in canon."

In the meta That slash vs gayfic debate by pinkdormouse differences between slash and gayfic were interpreted as follows:

Slash:

• Focus is very heavily on one pair of characters, occasionally other same-sex pairings may have strong secondary role(s).
• Unresolved Sexual Tension is a major feature of the story.
• Relationship develops outside of, and generally remains independent of, any pre-existing queer community.
• Characters do not necessarily identify as gay, bisexual, queer, etc.

Gayfic:

• Wider worldview of how characters (with or without partners) experience life-events and how this relates to their sexuality.
• Evolving Relationship Dynamics may be integrated into the main plot.
• Sense of queer (or otherwise alternative) community in which the characters are or have been involved.
• Some, if not all, characters have strong sense of sexual identity.

Examples of usage:

• "Gayfic erotic writers are often strongly interested in physical description. Slash erotic writers are often strongly interested in the emotional aspects of the relationship. Gayfic writers often write about gay male culture. Slash writers rarely do."
• "Talia/Ivanova is a really interesting case. I would say it was exactly on the border between slash and gayfic (gayfic is where the characters are actually involved onscreen, eg if someone were to write Willow/Tara or Stuart Alan Jones/anyone in QaF except Vince). Faith & Buffy is also in that area."