For myself, I find that it's just harder for me to write same-gender (or, heck, even opposite-gender) stories when there's not at least something in the canon for me to go on, which is why I tend to veer away from writing most slash. I can't find the evidence in the text to support the initial movement toward it. (Obviously I'm not glued to canon for everything, but as a writer I personally have to be able to point at where I started to extrapolate, and if that ain't there, it isn't happening.)

Oddly, I do not have the same problem reading--but I have to tell myself before starting to read such a thing that my personally necessary basis for extrapolation won't be there.

Which isn't actually addressing the meat of your post, and I didn't mean to derail, so. The actual social value (or lack there of) of any fannish activity lie in the execution not the intent or preferences. And more so, while fic can totally be subversive and progressive, and deal with Serious Issues, it doesn't have to be and it doesn't need to pretend that it does. This? This is probably one of the most astute and awesome statements on the matter that I have seen. Thank you.