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Xena - Xena FAQ - Charter For alt.tv.xena.creative.subtext

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From ???@0x0000337A Thu Feb 26 10:44:39 1998
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From: RoNiN 
Newsgroups: alt.tv.xena.creative.subtext
Subject: FAQ/CHARTER for alt.tv.xena.creative.subtext
Date: Tue, 24 Feb 1998 07:03:58 +1100
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Xena and Gabrielle leave "The Silver Chakram" tavern of atx-s.
Anxious to be on her way, Xena strides on. Gabrielle however, is
struck by a neighboring tavern. A sign hanging above the door reads
"The Amazon Queen".

Gabrielle: Hey! This place has _me_ written all over it. (she smiles
brightly, pleased with her joke)

Xena: Here we go. (realising she has little choice in the matter, Xena
follows Gabrielle inside)

As they enter, they are struck by the size of the Amazon bouncer at
the door. Easily Xena's height and as muscular, she wears a headband
adorned with pink triangles. She nods cooly at Xena, then noticing
Gabrielle, drops to one knee.

The light is low except for a small stage. There is a bar opposite and
several tables scattered between.

A low murmur rises from the patrons as the two new arrivals are
noticed.

From the shadows, Ephiny appears. She pays Gabrielle the respect due
her, then grasps Xena's forearm in greeting.

Ephiny: It's good to see you both again. I didn't know you were
coming.

Xena: Neither did I.

Ephiny: I have been invited to read the tavern's guidelines.
Something of a tradition here. (looking around) A place for bards and
wordsmiths.

Gabrielle: Bards! Xena, we *have* to stay to hear some new tales!

Ephiny: You better get a seat. - -I'll be right back.

Xena and Gabrielle find an unoccupied table up front as Ephiny leaps
on to a small stage. The torchlight wanes as the room's cacophony
becomes respectfully subdued. She moves directly under a narrow shaft
of sunlight, designed to spill from the roof on to the stage like a
spotlight. It makes her hair shine and her skin glow. She smiles and
nods to a few familiar faces.

Ephiny: Welcome everyone to the 'Amazon Queen'. Some of you are new
here, so I'm going to go over the house rules for those that don't
know them.

(A few hushed mutterings are quickly silenced by a stern glare.
Ephiny  continues. . .)

Ephiny: Patrons gather here to relate subtextual myths, legends,
fables poems, songs and tales, of Xena the Warrior Princess and
Gabrielle, her dedicated and endearing bard.

Gabrielle: (snorts and looks slightly indignant)(to Xena-) At least
she could have mentioned that I'm an Amazon Queen.

Ephiny: tonight is a special night for us. We have a real Amazon Queen
amongst us. It makes me proud to be a part of the Amazon Queen's
staff.(Ephiny bids Gabrielle stand)

Gabrielle: (to Xena) I'm glad she's not - It would make it *way* too
heavy to lift. (Xena puts a hand to her forehead and looks pained)

Gabrielle stands to applause, waving in her best attempt at
regality. As the applause dies, Ephiny continues.

Ephiny: By "subtextual" we are referring to the loving, sexual
relationship between Xena and Gabrielle. Not every newsgroup
recognizes or honors this relationship, but we do here, at The
Amazon Queen. It's a given here because we chose it to be a given.
"Subtext" can also refer to any other romantic female/female or
male/male relationship.

Gabrielle: Haven't I heard this somewhere before?

Ephiny: We are not here to argue these relationships, merely to relate
subtext-positive stories about them.

Because of our subject matter, many of our bards are Amazons. That is,
lesbian or bisexual. However we also have centaurs and men of all
persuasions. If you'd like a more mainstream crowd, you should instead
visit alt.tv.xena.creative or alt.tv.xena.creative.mature, which are
fanfiction groups that are *not* subtextually-oriented.

Adult and graphic material _must_ be clarified before you begin your
tale. The guide you should use is as follows:

G - General
15+ May be unsuitable for patrons under 15 years of age
R - Suitable for adults only

S - Sex
V - Graphic Violence
b/d Bondage and Discipline
s/m Sadism and Masochism
D - Drug use

Non-subtextual tales (stories involving male/female sex and/or
romantic encounters) are not for recital here. Please post those to
the parent newsgroup alt.tv.xena.creative or
alt.tv.xena.creative.mature, both forums for non-subtextual tales.

Alt.tv.xena.creative.subtext was created specifically to cater to and
share *subtextual* stories (where sexual matters are concerned).
Belief and *enjoyment* of the subtext is the default here. So please
don't post to tell a bard that his or her story is wrong because of
the subtext. We don't critisize subtext here. We embrace it. Arguing
subextual views is counter-charter. Subtextual relationships are the
default here.

Hetero stories, like "Gabrielle and Perdicus' Wild Night Of
Passion" - -

(Gabrielle rolls her eyes and mumbles, "More like long
night of boredom...")

- -may be great tales -however- **they lie outside this newsgroup's
charter and therefore should not be shared here**. Please post them to
the appropriate group.

Alt.tv.xena.creative.subtext is for sharing subtextual fanfiction in a
positive environment. To keep it that way, non-subtextual viewpoints
and stories are kindly excluded by charter, without malice. This is a
place for _subtext-positive_ stories.

This offshoot was created specifically to avoid disputes on the
parent newsgroup where fiction is read by adults and minors alike.
Some adults may not enjoy tales of a subtextual nature and some
parents may not wish their children to be exposed to stories of a
subtextual or graphic nature. Therfore this group exists to give
subtext fans a home of their own, where their tales can be told and
discussed as the default and mainstay, rather than the exception to
the rule.

      For those who DO NOT wish to read subtextual tales,

 UNSUBSCRIBE NOW. YOU ARE IN THE WRONG NEWSGROUP.

**********************************************************************

  TO SPAMMERS: NO SEXUAL ADVERTISEMENTS ARE WANTED IN ATXCS.

NOTE: USENET protocol dictates that members read FAQs and comply for
the well-being of *all* newsgroups. We at alt.tv.xena.creative.subtext
 trust members will comply with our FAQ, but if someone should persist
in posting anti-charter messages here, that person will be reported to
his/her ISP and that ISP may in turn take action. So please make sure
you are posting within the guidelines. There is a newsgroup for
sharing absolutely any idea or story that you have about Xena. Just
choose the right one! Thanks!

                  For those who wish to stay
                             WELCOME

ANTICIPATED FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
=======================================

Q. Don't MCA own these characters and can't we get in trouble for
using them?

A. The show is aware of the fanfiction on the web and on
USENET, and so far, have graciously allowed us to ignite our
imaginations with their wonderful characters.  However this is only an
implied allowance, assumed because they have not taken action to date
as far as we know. You may post a disclaimer saying you are borrowing
the characters, but that would not protect you if for some reason MCA
found it necessary to take action. [Barring some unusual circumstance
however, fanfiction writers don't expect that to happen.]

Q. Can I post fanfic about characters like Xena's Mother for
instance, even though she is not subtextual in any way (so far) in the
show?

A. Yes, you may use any character you wish, existant or created as
long as ownership of characters are recognised as is their due. It is
requested that permission be obtained from authors who create new
characters before that new character is used by others. [Note: But if
you want to post sexual male/female fanfic, kindly post it to one of
the other fanfiction newsgroups.]

Q. Can I post to both alt.tv.xena.creative/alt.tv.xena.creative.mature
and alt.tv.xena.creative.subtext?

A. Yes, but please DO NOT CROSS-POST between atxcs and atxc/atxcm and
please be aware of content restrictions on these groups. This is NOT
counter to USENET protocol _because our charters differ_.

Q. Can I post fanfiction to both alt.tv.xena.creative.subtext and
alt.tv.xena-subtext?

A. No. Alt.tv.xena-subtext is a discussion group, not a fanfiction
group. However if you wish to share a tale with members of that group,
you may post a _short_ note telling them where they may find it.

Q. Do I have to be lesbian, bisexual or gay to post here?

A. No. This is an orientation-free newsgroup. All subtext fans are
welcome of any persuasion & both genders. Enjoying subtextual
fanfiction is our bond.

Q. What is "imagery".

A. Imagery is pretending to be in a specific "atmosphere" while
enjoying a newsgroup.  The backdrop-imagery here is "The Amazon
Queen Tavern", and our members are bards in the tavern, telling
their tales on stage. People can play with that imagery if they wish
but other imagery is to be avoided as multiple forms of imagery tends
to split up the membership.

Q. Can I post stories about the Hercules show here?

A. Mentioning a character from Herc in passing is okay but Hercules
has it's own newsgroup. So please post Herc stories to the Herc
newsgroup, which you can read in Deja News if your server does not get
it directly.

Q. How come I can't discuss the Xena show itself, here?

A. Because that isn't the purpose of this newsgroup. This is a
fanfiction newsgroup. We post and discuss fanfiction here.

Q. There are so many Xena groups and they're named similarly. What is
each one for again?

A. FAQ's for each group should be read before posting to them, but in
general the Xena newsgroups are broken down as follows:

To Discuss Xena

alt.tv.xena ..... general discussion of the show - any POV goes here
alt.tv.xena-subtext ... subtext-positive discussion specifically

To Share Fanfiction about Xena

alt.tv.xena.creative .... general fanfiction acceptable for all
audiences
alt.tv.xena.creative.mature .. adult fanfic
alt.tv.xena.creative.subtext .. subtext-positive fanfic specifically

Q. So let me get this straight. This group is for posting stories that
fans make up ("fanfiction") about the characters on Xena:Warrior
Princess; and furthermore, the stories here will be geared towards a
belief that Xena and Gabrielle are romantically/sexually involved?

A. You got it. That is exactly right.

Q. And if I want to post stories but I want to write about Gabrielle
and Perdicus, or Xena and Ares or any male/female combination, I
should post it to one of the other fanfiction groups like atxc or
atxcm?

A. Right again.

Q. And if I want to say that subtext is a bunch of bull, I can go to
alt.tv.xena to discuss that to my heart's content, right?

A. That's right.

Q. And if I want to discuss the *show* (as opposed to fanfiction) and
I want to discuss the *subtext* in the show in a _positive_ way, I can
go to alt.tv.xena-subtext, right?

A. You just graduated. Congradulations.

Enjoy yourself wherever you decide to tell your tales!

NOTE TO NEW USENET USERS   Please go to:
http://www.idot.aol.com/netiquette/usenet/index.html to familiarize
yourself with USENET's code of behavior before posting to this or any
newsgroup!

_________________________________________________________
For more information on the subject of the subtext itself, and the
show's comments regarding the subtext in interviews, etc., please see
Erin's FAQ at:

          http://www.xenite.org/faqs/subtext.htm.

NOTE! THIS IS NOT A FAQ FOR THIS NEWSGROUP! DO NOT POST IT HERE. It is
simply a FAQ on information *related to the subject of the subtext*,
compiled to prove that the subtext is not a figment of the
imagination, but a purposeful element of the show.
_______________________________________________________

          Name of the FAQ/Charter for THIS newsgroup:

           FAQ/CHARTER for alt.tv.xena.creative.subtext
________________________________________________________


So welcome to The Amazon Queen, the newest addition to the
subtextual neighborhood in Xenadom! Make yourself at home!

Ephiny bows to cheers then steps down to join Xena and Gabrielle at
the table. Bards form a line at the stage steps to tell their tales,
while patrons lift goblets of wine and ale as they settle back to
listen... Xena, Gabrielle and Ephiny right up front...


[FAQ alt.tv.xena.creative.subtext 1st draft amended 1/23/98]