Joseph Brennan

Media and Cultural Studies +8

For more information on my research, please visit josephbrennan.com
Address: josephbrennan.com

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Journal Articles

Gay men and the coming out of Colton Haynes

Celebrity Studies, 2017

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Microporn in the digital media age: fantasy out of context

This thought piece is interested in the impact of certain digital conditions on pornography. Name... more This thought piece is interested in the impact of certain digital conditions on pornography. Namely that the context of the content, as inscribed in its original presentation, can sometimes get lost as it is shortened and shared across tube sites. What we find when this happens is that these videos are sometimes then interpreted as real sex by those clicking through. In this article I consider one implication resultant of the removal of context, namely the emergence of viewer speculation around the ‘authenticity’ of the clip as it circulates decontextualized across the web.

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Cruising for cash: Prostitution on Grindr

This article employs textual analysis in the cultural studies tradition to analyse Reddit discuss... more This article employs textual analysis in the cultural studies tradition to analyse Reddit discussion forums dedicated to the use of Grindr to solicit sex in exchange for cash, which is in violation of Grindr’s terms of service. Of particular interest is a canvasing of the motivations behind amateur use of the app for paid sexual encounters. More than six hundred comments from twenty-two relevant threads are selected for analysis, drawn from the popular ‘Gaybros’ subreddit forum. I nominate three key ‘scripts’ from the discourse. Namely, from the perspective of the individual seeking payment: ‘cash strapped student’ and ‘alternative to porn’; and ‘naïve millennials’ from a community responder perspective. These scripts offer insight into the profit-seeking motivations behind exploiting a popular sex-seeking tool, in particular by participants who would not otherwise engage in ‘cruising for cash’. The discourse supports my view that the young men seeking payment conceive of themselves as mobile pornographers, a concept that embodies their willingness to exploit the affordances of mobile technology and the profits to be gained from youth and sex, without the digital traces of more traditional pornographic forms.

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Oscar Pistorius: disability discourses in homosexual forums

This article performs textual analysis of discourse on Oscar Pistorius that appears on the homose... more This article performs textual analysis of discourse on Oscar Pistorius that appears on the homosexual discussion forums DataLounge and JustUsBoys. ‘Before’ and ‘after’ discourses – divided by Pistorius’s 2013 fatal shooting of his girlfriend – read Pistorius and his crime along sexuality and disability lines. I argue that it is worthwhile analysing how disability is constructed from different positions of marginalisation, especially when this at times yields discriminatory narratives. Pistorius, his disability, and his infamy are read by a community that itself exists outside the realm of mainstream debate, offering insight into disability and (homo)sexuality, adding greater dimension to ‘intersectional’ approaches to both.

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Public-sex: viewer discourse on Deerborn's 'homemade' gay porn

This paper reads viewer discourse on a popular series of gay public-sex videos shared online, kno... more This paper reads viewer discourse on a popular series of gay public-sex videos shared online, known as ‘Deerborn’. Deerborn presented itself as occupying a place ‘in-between’ commercial and amateur pornography: both free of the ‘fantasy constraints’ of commercial pornography, yet also mobilising an audience following that allowed it to compete with more commercial offerings. Discourse on these videos offers insight into audi- ence interest in and personal experiences of public-sex. Nominated are three key themes: space, participation and anxiety. The space theme is used as a structuring device in the second half of this paper, allowing for consideration of the settings in which the scenes take place. Yet, the focus of this paper remains on the commentary of viewers. Evidenced through this discourse is a continued interest among gay men in public- sex, with these videos serving as both vicarious viewing, and as catalyst for participants to share their own experiences of public-sex.

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The ‘gonzo aesthetic’ in gay porn: Fraternity X and Sketchy Sex

This article argues for consideration of gonzo techniques beyond the hand-held camera. The articl... more This article argues for consideration of gonzo techniques beyond the hand-held camera. The article considers other strategies at play in content aligned with the gonzo form, using gay pornography sites Fraternity X and Sketchy Sex as case studies. This broadening gesture is defined by recognition of the ‘gonzo aesthetic’ expressed in these texts. Using textual analysis, other aspects of the selected texts are considered including marketing campaigns, narrative, use or abandon of condoms, and props, all of which impact on the overall feel of the pornographic product. These techniques are considered in the context of the nominated case studies and the ways in which they help to construct a sense of the real, and also contribute to discourses of hazing and risk, among others.

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Abuse Porn: Reading Reactions to Boys Halfway House

Boys Halfway House is a gay bareback pornography website that purports to host the recorded abuse... more Boys Halfway House is a gay bareback pornography website that purports to host the recorded abuse exploits of managers of a halfway house. It is a recent addition to the genre niche of abuse and exploitation pornography sites that have surfaced in recent years. This article reads viewer commentary of scene updates on review site WayBig.com so as to consider the controversy associated with the proliferation of gay ‘abuse porn’, and of Boys Halfway House and its theme in particular. More than 500 comments over a 2-year period help explain Boys Halfway House as a variant of extreme pornography, and canvas a range of views on rape and humiliation fantasy in gay porn more broadly. The study ends with discussion of the anxieties and appreciations the site has prompted in viewers, and the presentation of two themes in particular: ‘bad porn’ and ‘harmful porn’. Also considered are the ethical implications of such male sexual abuse fantasies, which is a subject of lasting trauma for victims, and one that poses unique challenges in wider contexts.

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'Jensen Ackles is a (homophobic) douchebag': the 'politics of slash' in debates on a TV star's homophobia

This article analyses discourse on the DataLounge LGBT Internet forum that debates whether Jensen... more This article analyses discourse on the DataLounge LGBT Internet forum that debates whether Jensen Ackles (star of The CW’s Supernatural) is homophobic. Textual analysis is performed on five relevant threads created between 2007 and 2014, which have attracted in excess of 1150 responses. This discourse is considered in conjunction with existing scholarship on Supernatural as a cult phenomenon, in particular Ackles’ portrayal of the character Dean Winchester, who has been read by scholars (and members of the DataLounge forum) in relation to a certain hegemonic view of masculinity and heterosexuality, often at odds with the popularity of the series among ‘slash fans’, who undertake homoerotic readings. In light of this, I argue that the defensive and offensive posturing of participants on DataLounge can be understood as a case study of what I term the ‘politics of slash’. Such politics underscore some of the main pieces of presented ‘evidence’ for Ackles’ homophobia, such as unwillingness to discuss subtext at fan conventions. While Ackles is the catalyst for the discourse created, I argue that what is most interesting is the insight offered into ‘slash’ as a fan practice, and the subcultural groups most affected and energised by this debate, namely male homosexuals and slash fans. The study brings to bear new insight into understandings of slash and subcultural celebrity by considering the practice as it is constructed through the debate of a TV star’s supposed homophobia, a debate that is itself framed by certain ‘politics’ of representation, visibility, and identity.

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‘Shouldn’t Tom Daley be a bottom?’: Homosexual stereotyping online

This article uses British diver and homosexual celebrity Tom Daley as a case study to examine ins... more This article uses British diver and homosexual celebrity Tom Daley as a case study to examine instances of homosexual stereotyping on LGBT internet forum the DataLounge. Through textual analysis, I consider the anonymous discourse relating to Daley in terms of its representational implications. Of interest is how Daley is constructed through this discourse and what such constructions have to tell us about views on homosexuality and a particular well-known homosexual subject. I argue that Daley is objectified and aligned with certain stereotypes within this dedicated homosexual forum via the anonymous comments made about his profession, his body and mannerisms, and his personal life. I nominate certain ‘themes’ to make sense of this discourse, namely: the ‘dancer body’, the bottom, the slut, and the daddy’s boy. In addition to offering insight into how a particular homosexual celebrity is constructed through discourse by his own community, these themes also point to the pressures gay men feel to conform to ‘ideals’, and the consequences of nonconformity, of being a ‘failed representation’ (also known as a ‘stereotype’).

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‘If Duchamp’s toilet can be a masterpiece…’: Slash manips as fannish readymades

This article performs textual analysis of works from two slash manip artists – Tumblr’s wandsinha... more This article performs textual analysis of works from two slash manip artists – Tumblr’s wandsinhand and LiveJournal’s mythagowood – to argue that the form can be understood as a fannish form of ‘readymades’. I perform a comparative analysis of Marcel Duchamp’s Fountain and the use of the toilet as a central sign in wandsinhand’s practice. The works of mythagowood are then examined. I use excerpts from various interviews with the artist to explore his practice, its connection with the Supernatural canon and his unique construction, ‘Sammy’. I compare his practice to that of figurative painter Francis Bacon and the statements his art makes on meat, beasts and sexuality. Framing my reading of the oeuvres of wandsinhand and mythagowood around Duchamp’s concept of ‘readymades’ and Bacon’s representation of meat demonstrates the potential for slash manips to explore the instability and malleability of the male sexed body, highlighting these objects’ aesthetic, artistic and cultural significance.

The Todd Carney "bubbling" social media scandal

In June 2014, Australian rugby league player Todd Carney had his contract cancelled with the Cron... more In June 2014, Australian rugby league player Todd Carney had his contract cancelled with the Cronulla Sharks and received a lifetime ban from the National Rugby League after a photo in which he appears to drink his own urine in a public restroom went viral on social media. This article performs a critical analysis of the image at the centre of the Todd Carney bubbling scandal, as well as discourse surrounding it—on two contrasting forums, SharksForever and JustUsBoys. The analysis uncovers various insights into this particular image and the unspoken codes and unseen homoerotic rituals and bonding boy cultures of Australian team sportsmen and their “mates.” The argument is made that the image itself, along with its widespread publication on social media and construction through discourse, points to the limits of “proper” masculinity and, ultimately, perversion of the expectations placed on league males as heterosexual hero icons.

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Queerbaiting: The ‘playful’ possibilities of homoeroticism

This article explores the concept of ‘queerbaiting’, a term employed by media fans to criticise h... more This article explores the concept of ‘queerbaiting’, a term employed by media fans to criticise homoerotic suggestiveness in contemporary television when this suggestiveness is not actualised in the program narrative. I confront the negative connotations of the term and point to the agency of audiences, using the practices of ‘slash fans’ within the Merlin fandom as my case study. I trace definitions of queerbaiting in recent scholarly work and suggest comparison with another term, ‘hoyay’, which has more positive connotations. My central argument is that as this concept begins its inevitable permeation into academic work, worth considering are the queer readings that ‘queerbaiting’ in fact make possible, even plausible, which is an understanding of the term that is in line with the ‘poaching’ and ‘playful’ spirit of media fandom.

‘Bare-backing spoils everything. He's spoiled goods’: Disposal and disgust, a study of retired power bottom twink Jake Lyons

This article uses star study and textual analysis of posts on popular gay porn blog TheSword.com ... more This article uses star study and textual analysis of posts on popular gay porn blog TheSword.com as a means to chart the career of retired power bottom twink Jake Lyons and the manner in which his various career and personal decisions – such as to perform bareback and in fetish porn – are critiqued by participants on this blog. I argue that a discourse of disposal and disgust surrounding Lyons and his actions pervade this forum and that this discourse is worthy of scholarly consideration: not only because it relates to sexual health concerns resulting from high-risk sexual practice facing the industry and gay community, but also because it has something to tell us about the consumption of gay porn and the objectification and disposal of gay male performers, twink bottoms particularly.

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‘You gave me no choice’: A queer reading of Mordred’s journey to villainy and struggle for identity in BBC’s Merlin

This essay performs a queer reading of the Mordred character—that great archetype of the treacher... more This essay performs a queer reading of the Mordred character—that great archetype of the treacherous villain—from BBC’s Merlin (2008–2012) so as to examine his role in a series that garnered a devoted following among ‘slash fans,’ who homoeroticise male pairings. By charting the various catalysts that set this villain on his path, we are privy to insights into the representations and (queer) metaphors of this popular British series and what these elements have to tell us about this reimagined legendary villain. This reading is supported by analysis of slash fanart (known as ‘slash manips’), which support my reading and delve into typologies that help examine the construction and journey of Mordred as the archetypal villain, as well as his multiple identities of knight and magician, and queer associations of his struggle for self. This reading offers insight into the reimagining of an iconic villain, as well as the various types and queer metaphors the character’s journey in this popular series illuminates.

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'You could shame the great Arthur himself': A queer reading of Lancelot from BBC's Merlin with respect to the character in Malory, White, and Bradley

A queer reading of the Lancelot character as he appears in BBC television series Merlin (2008–12)... more A queer reading of the Lancelot character as he appears in BBC television series Merlin (2008–12) and the works of Malory, White, and Bradley, situates the cult series in the long heritage of Arthurian adaptation and reveals a secretive and troubled figure with a personal connection to his adaptors.

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‘Let’s get a bit of context’: Fifty Shades and the phenomenon of ‘pulling to publish’ in Twilight fan fiction [Joseph Brennan and David Large]

Media International Australia No. 152, Aug 2014

The publishing success of E.L. James' Fifty Shades of Grey, a series with origins as Twilight fan... more The publishing success of E.L. James' Fifty Shades of Grey, a series with origins as Twilight fan fiction, has energised popular interest in the practice of writing fan fiction (or 'fanfics'). Equally, however, the series' popularity has fuelled debate on the ethics of its commercial publication. This article highlights the divisive and polarising phenomenon of 'pulling to publish' in the Twilight fandom. 'Pulling to publish' refers to the process of rewriting and republishing for profit a work that was inspired by another's intellectual property, and collaboratively edited by unpaid volunteers - the majority of whom would have expected the edited work to be freely available in perpetuity. Among other relevant case studies, this article examines a critical instance of pseudonymous online protest, challenge and defence between James and another well-known fanfic writer, coinciding with the March 2011 announcement that Fifty Shades would be commercially published. Several critiques of fanfic commercialisation are contextualised by a critical reading of the 'official' publication history of Fifty Shades, revealing the incompatibility of two self-constructed fan identities: the faithful and the opportunistic.

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Not 'from my hot little ovaries': How slash manips pierce reductive assumptions

Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies Vol. 28 No. 2, 2014

Slash, a fannish practice, has been celebrated both for its transgression of male heterosexual re... more Slash, a fannish practice, has been celebrated both for its transgression of male heterosexual representations and its female producers. Despite this recognition, slash manips – a form of slash photomontage – have yet to receive sustained scholarly attention. This paper argues that were slash manips to be taken seriously by researchers as objects of study, reductive cultural assumptions concerning gender, genre, medium and intent would be subject to critique. I detail what constitutes a manip and how it differs from the male celebrity fake. I also explore a similar process occurring at a commercial level and marketed to gay men, which I term ‘corporate slash'. The paper concludes with an analysis of the manips of LiveJournal artist mythagowood, which are prime examples of slash works not served by current definitions of the practice.

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'Fandom is full of pearl clutching old ladies': Nonnies in the online slash closet

International Journal of Cultural Studies Vol. 17 no. 4, 2014

This article examines cultures of anonymity (or ‘nonnies’) and secrecy in online slash fandom thr... more This article examines cultures of anonymity (or ‘nonnies’) and secrecy in online slash fandom through textual analysis of fannish reaction to gay magazine DNA publishing slash content. I use the experiences of infamous slash manip artist mythagowood from the Supernatural fandom community to read this critical moment of online discourse creation. Specific cases on LiveJournal communities spnanonhaven and fandomsecrets are examined to reveal pockets of conservatism, or ‘pearl clutching’, online. Within the context of male slash production, I examine the implications of nonnies and their efforts to keep slash secret, which is the enactment of an online ‘slash closet’; and conclude by considering what cultures of anonymity and secrecy mean for male slashers, many whose slash practice is inextricably linked to direct identity construction.

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The fannish parergon: Aca–fandom and the decentred canon

Australasian Journal of Popular Culture Vol. 3 No. 2, 2014

Aca–fandom, as popularized by Jenkins, forefronts reciprocity and dialogue between researcher and... more Aca–fandom, as popularized by Jenkins, forefronts reciprocity and dialogue between researcher and subject and has become the method of choice for many fan studies scholars. This article critiques the centrality of canon in the aca–fan tradition, using Derrida’s work on the parergon. I raise various issues for consideration, such as aca–fandom’s emphasis on identity, and the potential implications of a researcher presuming commonalities with fan communities. These issues are discussed with regard to my own practice-led research approach. I examine the aca–fan position in relation to ‘reflexive’ and ‘native anthropology’, the latter of which highlights advocacy dimensions of the position. I also make a case for the importance of managing responsibilities to academy and community (public or fannish) and distinctions between autonomous and public or political intellectualism. My discussion of the various implications of the aca–fan position leads to my central argument, which is that the aca–fan researcher in the textual tradition would do well to avoid the temptation to fixate on canon at the expense of the fan works themselves.

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Slash manips: Remixing popular media with gay pornography

M/C Journal Vol. 16 No. 4, 2013

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Gay men and the coming out of Colton Haynes

Celebrity Studies, 2017

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Microporn in the digital media age: fantasy out of context

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Cruising for cash: Prostitution on Grindr

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Oscar Pistorius: disability discourses in homosexual forums

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Public-sex: viewer discourse on Deerborn's 'homemade' gay porn

Download

The ‘gonzo aesthetic’ in gay porn: Fraternity X and Sketchy Sex

Download

Abuse Porn: Reading Reactions to Boys Halfway House

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'Jensen Ackles is a (homophobic) douchebag': the 'politics of slash' in debates on a TV star's homophobia

Download

‘Shouldn’t Tom Daley be a bottom?’: Homosexual stereotyping online

Download

‘If Duchamp’s toilet can be a masterpiece…’: Slash manips as fannish readymades

The Todd Carney "bubbling" social media scandal

Download

Queerbaiting: The ‘playful’ possibilities of homoeroticism

‘Bare-backing spoils everything. He's spoiled goods’: Disposal and disgust, a study of retired power bottom twink Jake Lyons

Download

‘You gave me no choice’: A queer reading of Mordred’s journey to villainy and struggle for identity in BBC’s Merlin

Download

'You could shame the great Arthur himself': A queer reading of Lancelot from BBC's Merlin with respect to the character in Malory, White, and Bradley

Download

‘Let’s get a bit of context’: Fifty Shades and the phenomenon of ‘pulling to publish’ in Twilight fan fiction [Joseph Brennan and David Large]

Media International Australia No. 152, Aug 2014

Download

Not 'from my hot little ovaries': How slash manips pierce reductive assumptions

Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies Vol. 28 No. 2, 2014

Download

'Fandom is full of pearl clutching old ladies': Nonnies in the online slash closet

International Journal of Cultural Studies Vol. 17 no. 4, 2014

Download

The fannish parergon: Aca–fandom and the decentred canon

Australasian Journal of Popular Culture Vol. 3 No. 2, 2014

Download

Slash manips: Remixing popular media with gay pornography

M/C Journal Vol. 16 No. 4, 2013

Download

Queerbaiting (Special Issue, Journal of Fandom Studies) - CFP

Fans use the term 'queerbaiting' to account for a television tactic whereby producers deliberatel... more Fans use the term 'queerbaiting' to account for a television tactic whereby producers deliberately insert homoerotic subtext between characters in order to capture a queer viewership, yet never actualise this subtext on screen. It is near exclusively deemed by fans as an exploitative tactic that is harmful to queer viewers; one that teases queer representations, then shuts down opportunities for validation with 'no homo' jokes in text and denial of the existence of any subtext in commentary. It has thus attained decidedly negative connotations in its usage by fans and a degree of cultural currency in the popular sphere, the hashtag #Queerbaiting an increasingly popular device on Twitter for shaming such tactics, for example. Cult series such as Supernatural and Sherlock are among the most frequently named for queerbaiting their audiences, which given the scholarly interest by fan scholars in these texts, raises important questions for our field. Recently, investigation has begun into some of the questions posed by queerbaiting, such as the activist agenda behind the term's coinage (Nordin, 2015), its statement on fan-producer interactions (Collier, 2015), textual readings of certain texts that queerbait (Fathallah, 2015), and of how this relatively new term bodes for understandings of particular well-canvassed fan practices, such as slash (Brennan, 2016). The recent interest by scholars in the various issues associated with queerbaiting make a collection of essays that situate the tactic in terms of the fan studies field timely. Further, a survey of such issues is important in light of the impassioned calls from many fans for such tactics to cease, and for producers to take account of the harm caused by queerbaiting. A key argument being that in 'baiting' their audiences, then denying actual representations, queer viewers face invalidation of their experiences (Sheehan, 2015). This is not to discount alternate readings on the practice, such as of the potential queer readings that 'queerbaiting' in fact make possible, even plausible (Brennan, 2016). This special edition of Journal of Fandom Studies aims to take account of why queerbaiting as a concept has gained the appeal it has, and why now. Not only what exactly it means to queerbait, but also the relationship between this term and the current media landscape, in which queer representations are supposedly possible in mainstream texts, yet still denied. Therefore, the issue seeks to take stock of the current state of media representations accused of queerbaiting and of the fannish culture that surrounds the development of this term. Importantly, the edition aims to consider what criticism of certain tactics might mean for longstanding debates within the field, among them: media effects, fan/producer power relations, active/passive consumption, fan production (slash, for example), and identity, to name just a few. As such, submissions are encouraged from across disciplines, with the aim to better understand what queerbaiting means to fans; what harm, if any, it causes them; and how we are to proceed with the study of fandoms that, some argue, are harmful.

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Joseph Brennan

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