Shapeshifter characters and bestiality?

[Ireth]

This is something that's been nagging at my mind lately, ever since I heard a comment on Twilight describing it as "a woman's choice between necrophilia and bestiality." Where do people stand on this, specifically with regards to romantic or sexual relations between shapeshifters of any sort and non-shapeshifters in fantasy?

I personally don't see a problem with it, depending on how human or how animal the shapeshifters are portrayed. It's fantasy, and you have to suspend your disbelief to some extent. Three of the couples I most enjoy roleplaying with a friend of mine are human/lycanthrope pairs -- two are married couples, and one is a celibate romantic relationship that hasn't yet progressed to marriage due to the ages of the characters. And although the lycanthropes tend to act a bit more animalistic in the week preceding the full moon, it's not like they ever have sex while the lycanthrope half of the couple is in animal form. They'd be smart enough to do it only in the other three weeks, especially when the moon is waning. Both of the married couples specifically planned their nuptials to be on the day of the new moon so they wouldn't have to deal with that problem on their respective wedding nights, and they make sure to sleep in separate (locked) rooms when the full moon transformation happens, for safety's sake.

Harking back to the comment about Twilight, I'd have to say that if I actually liked the series enough to choose a "team", I'd be on Team Jacob in regards to the Bella romance. Unfortunately, the fourth book totally ruined it for me with the whole Renesmee thing, which is another issue in itself that I won't be tackling here.

 

[Steerpike]

I see no problem with it, in and of itself. It can be portrayed anywhere along the spectrum from completely tame and benign to disturbing. Depends on the portrayal.

People who like to complain must necessarily have things to complain about, and I'd say that represents the bulk of the criticism of the concept.

 

[Reaver]

I agree with Steerpike, it's all about the portrayal. In my humble opinion, as long as it doesn't go the route of Caligula, it can't be that bad.

 

[Sheilawisz]

In my Joan of England series, Joan's boyfriend gets turned into a magical creature: he has the power to transform at will into a huge dragon/wolf hybrid with magical powers, and transform back into human when he wants too =) At first Joan really hated the change in him, but later everything is just fine!!

The legends about shape-shifters are very common in many parts of the world, so I do not see any problem with this or with the relationships that such characters can have with normal people.

 

[Caged Maiden]

My shape-shifters are sexy, charismatic people... not insane perverted monsters... so I see no problems with it. But then, I've never read the Twilight books... so who knows. I'm honestly put off more by the concept of vampires with the desire to love (physically or emotionally) than werewolves, only because I see them as rather devoid of emotion, but then they're not exactly a walking corpse are they? I think that the portrayal is more important than the concept really. Would I have sex with a werewolf? Why not. Would I have sex with a vampire? Hmm... if it were very attractive and indistinguishable from a human... sure. Would I have sex with a zombie? .... never in a million years.... the fact that parts might fall off of it are not even the first reason why I wouldn't.

 

[Ireth]

My lycanthropes are perfectly normal people aside from the fact that they turn into animals, and have increased senses of smell as a result of their animal side. Lycanthropy is more like a magical disease than a curse, and it's not passed down genetically, so my human/lycanthrope couples can have children without worrying about that kind of thing. Just don't ask me what happens when a lycanthrope gets pregnant. All I've figured out so far is that the unborn child doesn't turn into a wolf when the mother does.

 

[Caged Maiden]

see mine is genetic.... all I can say is that my shifters are very protective of their progeny and can see in their auras whether they will grow into werewolves in adulthood too. But then in my world, there are both the mad ravenous beasts, and the other shifters who work to control if not eradicate those.

 

[Sheilawisz]

You know what problem I see with the wolf shape-shifters in Twilight?? As far as I know (I have watched the movies only) the shape-shifting power comes from special genetics in a few special members of that tribe, so... how the heck would a power like that be caused by genetics only??

I mean, how heavy is Jacob? Now, how heavy is a giant bear-sized super wolf?? All that additional mass cannot appear just like that when they transform, it cannot be genetics only, it should be explained as a truly Magical power...

Beside issues like that, I really love wolves and shape-shifters! XD!!

 

[Steerpike]

I don't think the power is only genetic, Sheila. They have to have certain genetics to be able to access it, maybe, but it is magic/supernatural in origin. I think.

 

[Anders Ämting]

This is something that's been nagging at my mind lately, ever since I heard a comment on Twilight describing it as "a woman's choice between necrophilia and bestiality."

Really, I think that's more a matter of Bella's taste in men then anything else.

 

[Sheilawisz]

Steerpike, since I have read only the first Twilight book I don't really know, but your explanation sounds very well!! I like those wolf shape-shifters far more than I like the vampires, if I lived in that world I would definitely be a Wolf =)

 

[Ireth]

I'm pretty sure there is a supernatural origin for Jake's tribe being shapeshifters. It's been a while since I've read the books (only got through them once, and I haven't seen the movies since Twilight), but from what I remember their power to switch between the bodies of wolves and humans is rooted in their ancestry and Quileute (or however you spell it) lore. Whether the supposedly "genuine" lore is actually the same as the real-life lore of that particular tribe is anyone's guess.

 

[Aravelle]

Honestly? I don't see the big fuss on bestiality with shapeshifters if it's obviously consensual on both sides. Is it gross to me? Well, YEAH. Would I want to read about that kind of thing? probably not. But I have more of a problem with shapeshifters who have all of the pros and none/few of the cons than I do with the potential for bestiality.

Also Ireth, the lore about the Quileute tribe was false. SM was terrible with her facts.

 

[Feo Takahari]

There's already popular fiction about actual bestiality (Ishmael in Love, The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore, etc.) Bestiality in which both parties are at least sometimes human is arguably a step up.

 

[Steerpike]

I think calling it bestiality if relations take place only when the shapeshifter is in human form is also a bit of a stretch. Is there a lot of urban fantasy out there dealing with werewolves and the like where characters are intimate while one of them is a wolf?

 

[Caged Maiden]

That was my question. Bestiality is involving an animal, not a werewolf (unless it is currently a wolf). I mean, I can't speak from personal experience on this one, but I don't think I'd be attracted to my mate enough in his wolf form to want to explore the possibilities if you know what I mean. I mean, I love my dog, and he's sort of the other man in my life (because I met him before my husband) but there's a line that would never occur to me to cross.

Why would a couple in human form even be considered anything other than two humans? To me that would be no more unusual than a wizard couple who had the ability to shape-shift or something.

 

[gavintonks]

Megan Lindholm Cloven Hooves does it so naturally it is a gripping story