Queering Boundaries: Queer fanfiction, self-representation and challenging the public/private dichotomy

Queer spaces throughout history have existed as contradictions, falling comfortably into neither category of public nor private. The underground gay clubs that were popular in large cities such as London when homosexuality was criminalized are a perfect example. Spaces online that are popular with queer communities echo their physical predecessor's contradictions. One of these spaces is Archive of Our Own, a website where anybody with an account can upload their own stories, a large percentage being fanfiction. Through a critical analysis of existing literature and examples from queer fanfiction, this essay aims to provide an understanding of how fans use queer fanfiction as a form of self-representation and in the process, challenge the pre-defined public/private dichotomy.