I think, though, that in some ways that is the strength of fandom. We can go out and put our ids on display, and find other people whose lizard-brains function in ways similar to our own, and--I mean, I don't want to say fandom is always a kind and accepting place, because it's not. But the really awesome people in fandom make it as close to a safe space as I think we're likely to get to explore those kinds of things, and I think it encourages that kind of exploration in a way that "writing for publication" and its ilk does not.

Or maybe I am just making things up? Who knows.