Why I Don’t Like Omegaverse Fics

I didn’t know about the omegaverse until several months ago, when I was doing some research about fan fiction in general. For those who aren’t aware, in these types of stories, the characters have a defined and hierarchical biological role (alpha, beta, or omega). The relationship dynamics thus resemble those seen in packs of wolves. It originally emerged in explicit stories, but has since moved downstream into less explicit stories. Some might even argue that it’s become mainstream.

I don’t care for it.

Human beings are not wolves, and I’m not into biological determinism. I’m also not into anthropomorphism, otherkin, or the furry fandom. Further, limiting relationship dynamics like that tends to mean changing characters too much. One of the things I love best about writing, and about people in general, is the sheer diversity of personalities and relationship styles that are possible. Artificial limits are something of a cop-out.

Don’t misunderstand: I don’t mind anthropomorphism when it’s a part of an established universe, although I have yet to write in a universe that includes that (and doubt I will anytime soon). Nor do I have any particularly judgmental attitudes toward otherkin/furries; if that’s the best way for them to be authentic and it doesn’t hurt anyone else, then they should go for it. I also understand that some societies really do have rigid and predetermined roles.

But ours doesn’t, and it drives me insane when I see omegaverse fics creeping into fandoms where they don’t belong.

Here’s a recent example from the Scarecrow and Mrs. King fandom (unrated and not currently explicit):

Amanda King is a strong independent alpha raising her two boys. She gets off the subway with ingredients for dinner when a strange man, and omega in distress, reaches out for help. Her instincts get the better of her and all of a sudden, she brought this man home.

I read the story. It’s well-written, with good characterizations and the beginnings of what could be a very interesting plotline. But it features characters that, while superficially resembling them, definitely are not Amanda King and Lee Stetson. Amanda’s confident and capable to the point of arrogance, and Lee is a traumatized, emotional wreck of a man. The whole thing gave me a fingernails-on-chalkboard feeling.

Because it is well-written, and because I want to see as many fan fiction authors publishing as possible, I didn’t leave a review or response. Nor do I intend to. My frustration is my problem, not the writer’s. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t legitimate.

This morning, I was looking at Firefly fics and ran into another one (rated explicit):

When River Tam presents as an Omega [sic] while deep in the black, there’s only so much to be done to keep her separated from Alpha Jayne Cobb. Especially when separation is the last thing she wants.

Again, it’s fairly well-written, although in this case I didn’t read beyond the first chapter. But, in order to make the storyline fit, River and Jayne have been transformed in ways that leave them nearly unrecognizable. This is another example where writing omegaverse into a place where it doesn’t already exist requires a radical change.

And again, because I’m polite, I’ve left no reviews or responses to the fic itself. Seeing it did, however, increase the frustration I feel at the proliferation of such fics.

“But,” many might argue, “fan fiction is supposed to be transformative, and use of the omegaverse allows authors to explore different concepts of gender and power.”

I understand that argument, but it’s worth noting that not all fan fiction writers are attempting to be transformative and “edgy” with respect to gender and gender roles. Sometimes they just want to see additional stories in a universe they love; or want to continue a story that has ended in the original source material. Sometimes they’re exploring subtext and where it might take the characters if it were acknowledged. And sometimes they’re just looking for shelter among like-minded people.

I fall into all three of the categories above. In addition, much of the reason I am uncomfortable with omegaverse fics is because I don’t accept the currently-fashionable theories about gender lying underneath them.

I’m a third-wave, Catholic feminist. With a very few exceptions, gender roles are social constructs and external imposition of any such role is, by definition, oppressive and reactionary. Both men and women should be free to make their own life and aesthetic choices, regardless of whether they’re traditional or not. Men can certainly wear skirts and long hair if they want to; it doesn’t make them less masculine. Conversely, men can act in more traditional ways and that doesn’t make them more masculine. The same can be said of women: we can wear short hair and work in STEM fields without becoming less feminine; and being more traditional (like me) doesn’t make anyone more feminine.

In light of modern theories, I’ve tried several times to challenge my own assumptions. Every time I do, though, I end up seeing gender reduced to little more than a performance or a feeling. That is not what masculinity and femininity are. They’re far more complex, and far more amazing, than such a reductionist and reactionary view. That belief leaves me with my own opinions about gender ending up even more entrenched than they were before. Given the tension between third-wave, Catholic, and current feminism, it shouldn’t be surprising that I’ve stopped attempting to redefine my viewpoint. It won’t work.

For me, “transformative” as applied to gender and fan fiction would mean imagining a world without imposed gender roles. Characters should be considered, assessed, and presented, based on their own individual merits and personalities; and gender is simply one aspect among the many that may describe a character. If a character already fits into an omegaverse role, that’s fine; but few do, because humans aren’t wolves. When authors completely change characters in order to accomplish an alpha/beta/omega dynamic, it comes across to me as the attempted imposition of a gender role.

Thus, my negative reaction to omegaverse fics is an automatic, knee-jerk reflex that occurs on a nearly visceral level. It’s backsliding into a place from which multiple generations of women have fought, suffered, and died to free themselves. It’s also a bourgeois (in the modern sense) concept that can only come from a place of unrecognized privilege. That worldview is completely opposed to the one that resulted in 20th and 21st century fan fiction. It doesn’t belong, and that’s why I wish there was a way I could avoid it.

Unfortunately, however, respect for diverse positions is also a part of the feminism I practice. As such, I’m not going to argue for any restrictions on omegaverse fics, or excoriate those who write them. If it’s true and genuine for them, they absolutely should do so. I just wish they understood that, for older writers like me, it’s anything but transformative. Thus, while I don’t exactly oppose omegaverse fics, I will be glad when their popularity begins to wane.