The title pretty much explains it, but this has been irritating me SO bad.
I have seen so many people — on this sub and others — shame people who read smut. I’ve seen people go as far as to say that smutty romance books have no substance or literary merit.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with sex. Sex is a common part of many romantic relationships and a common part of *life*. There is nothing taboo or wrong with talking, thinking, or reading about sex. Just like there is nothing wrong with NOT talking, thinking, or reading about sex. It’s personal preference. The issue is that people who don’t tend to see themselves as high and mighty; a more sophisticated breed of romance connoisseur.
If you want to read a book about people who don’t have sex, go for it. There are *millions* of books out there that are perfect for you. In fact, the vast majority of books are completely sex free. You can even skip explicit sex scenes in some books, if you really wanted to. You would not be a better or worse person for doing so. You can do so without hating on others.
An argument I’ve seen a lot has been that all smut books are “trauma porn” and “r@pe fantasies”, which could not be more incorrect. So many of the explicit romance books I’ve read have been beautifully written with complex characters, twisting storylines, and meaningful relationships. That’s because I decide what books I want to read, based on the content. If I don’t want to read dark romance, I don’t. If I don’t want to read a mafia romance, I don’t. It is that simple.
I don’t see people hating on graphic horror fans for being disgusting or “murder fetishists”. They find beauty and enjoyment in reading these books, because they’re well written and enjoyable. If you find graphic horror uncomfortable, you just don’t read it. You don’t shame those people for being “gross”.
This just grinds my gears. I’d like to hear your thoughts on it.
by bubbly_bun