hi!! sorry for the late response <3 I've been busy and wanted to make sure I did it justice!

please never hesitate to send me things like this. I really appreciate having these discussions. It's not a bother at all!

I have also seen the opinions floating around regarding the kinktober prompts. First of all, I don't necessarily think that you being able to see the reason in these points means you're impressionable. These are very complex and nuanced topics, so I think if anything it means that you're doing the necessary mental work to understand and approach sensitive topics critically.

I think going through feelings of shame regarding topics that are dark and uncomfortable is...valid and expected. They're considered "taboo" for a reason. In turn, this is what appeals people to them. Taboo topics are interesting because they're "wrong" in some way. As human beings we are complex by nature. It is natural to be curious about dark and immoral things, and exploring those themes can even be healthy. Fiction is a space where all manner of things can be explored in a safe way. When we say things like "fiction does not affect reality" what we really mean is that it is not a 1:1 impact. Of course you, as a person, can be affected by the things you read. So it is always up to us individually to be responsible for ourselves and approach media carefully. For example, I have a very difficult time with certain things that include heavy gore or animal violence and so I steer clear knowing those things will harm me emotionally. But I never fear that those things will make me want to emulate the atrocities in real life.

I personally do not believe that fiction alone is enough to twist your morals into something they weren't already prone to being. To me, it is the same as the violent video games debate from quite a few years a go. Playing video games where the objective is to kill people will not make you do so in real life. Games like Grand Theft Auto will not make you go out and steal a car lol. Do you see the connections here? Fanfiction depicting crimes such as noncon will not in turn...make you believe that rape is okay.

The climate regarding this sort of thing is difficult to navigate right now and seems to be getting worse daily. As far as I can remember we have never had this big of an uproar regarding Kinktober, which is literally a YEARLY fandom tradition. What HAS changed is the growing puritanical agenda in fandom spaces and the push for censorship of topics that will ultimately snowball into censorship of anything that is not considered conservative-approved.

I'm honestly really glad that you sent me a message about this because I really feel like in general we all need to be talking about it more. That, in my opinion, is the best way to find comfort. Those enjoyments are not going to just disappear. I truly believe that it's best to embrace them and find ways to enjoy them without feeling shame. It's healthy to do so by discussing these moral dilemmas with others who experience them and even by reading up on some of these topics in general (I will share some resources!).

I think so many of us who openly enjoy dark topics have went on our own journey with shame and hesitation. I did not just jump into fandom already being on board with everything. However, I am a naturally curious and open-minded person. So, I never felt much hesitation, but I have done a lot of mental work to understand the issues surrounding these topics and found peace with the fact that I am okay with enjoying them. I know myself, I know my morals, I know who I am as a person in real life, and I am confident that my fictional interests do not impact that in any way. I wish the same for everyone else, because it is a very peaceful existence.

Again, pleaseeee don't hesitate to send me any more of your thoughts/questions! This goes for anyone reading this. I am happy to answer questions and discuss this topic any time! This is a super complex issue with so many facets and there was no way I could possibly include everything in this one response so I hope what I HAVE said makes sense and is helpful in some way. <3

RESOURCES

I recommend looking through the pinned post on this account: https://x.com/purity_culture
They have soooo much good information regarding taboo kinks/tropes, including ones you specifically asked about! Just scroll through and you'll find a ton!

https://www.fujoshi.info/
I am always recommending this website because it is TRULY so helpful. You can find so much information on anti-fans and censorship, and there is even a research database that includes academic articles covering all sorts of related topics, including things such as taboo fiction.