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I donāt necessarily remember when or what was the first time I experienced the sex pollen trope. Still, I know itās always been somewhat in the back of my headā which is why I made it a pivotal and climatic ( Ķ”Ā° ĶŹ Ķ”Ā°) moment in #ProjectRyessida.
Now, before we go into this little deep dive of mine, I want to make one thing absolutely clear: if this trope is not for you, then itās not for youā if you cannot get with all of the complicated and line-blurring things that this trope deals with, that is perfectly okay. You are no less of a writer/reader because of this. I am not writing this essay to convert anyone to this tropeā sometimes we donāt click with certain tropes and thatās okay.
This is more of an exercise for meā why Iām attracted to this trope, why I decided to include it in my current WIP, why I keep coming back to it in fics, either reading or writing it, and why I would like to see it pop up more in original fiction.
Quick history lesson! Most of the time the origins of this trope are associated with Dr. Pamela Isley a.k.a. Poison Ivy from DC Comics. Sheās a part of Batmanās Rogues Gallery and her main power is that she uses plants and botany to commit crimes, often by creating a plant or flower that can control people's minds. In some of her canonical incarnations, she possesses a substance that makes men fall in love with her instantly or makes her irresistibly desirable.
The term "sex pollen" originated from fic wherein characters are exposed to one of Poison Ivy's creations that causes an irresistible urge for sex in general, not specifically with her. The term is now used in many different fandoms for all kinds of fic that place characters in this situation, even when the object or substance causing the increase in libido is not plant-based.
Note: It always goes back to fandom-establishing powerhouse Star Trek, since others also attribute the popularity of this trope to the 1967 Star Trek: TOS episode This Side of Paradise, which featured an alien plant whose spores lowered inhibition; under its influence.
Research on this trope is very limited. Itās not a wildly popular trope, nor is it one that can be replicated easily in media, whether it be TV, film, or literature. Upon my findings, one of the more fun things that I discovered is that this trope has some variants of it with different names, such as:
But funnily enough, the most cohesive and educational piece of information I could find regarding this subject was this 2007 essay on Ye Olde LiveJournal titled Writing Sex Pollen Stories, written by user Jen_in_Japan. If you have a minute or are interested in learning more about this trope, I heavily recommend checking it out.
The essay provides a cohesive and concise 5 numbered list of reasons why people tend to write this trope, providing examples and reasonings along the way, but what captured my attention was the following:
Sex pollen's function in these kinds of stories is usually to corner the characters and force them to face their own desire and embrace the frightening lack of control it brings. [ā¦] Sex pollen gives the writer and reader delicious access to a version of these tightly-contained characters where that control is stripped away.
This is what has always fascinated me about this trope. Humans, whether it be by their nature or the culture that surrounds them, tend to be very limited creatures. We tend to place restrictions on ourselves regarding many things, some as mundane as food or as explicit as sex. Characters in fiction tend to reflect some of these behaviors, and while I am a firm believer that fiction is not praxis and that oneās preferences in media cannot be attributed to their wants and desires in real life, I am a proponent of the idea of exploring said ideas in the safety of fiction.
Of course, all of this is subjective. If said characters in your romantic entanglement are already free-loving hippies, for example, then thereās not much use in injecting something like a sexual pheromone into the story, right?
But what if one of your characters is a bit uptight? What if theyāre so repressed and distanced from their own wants and desires that they canāt truly understand what is happening to them whenever the main love interest bats their eyes at them?
Alright, now weāre cooking then.
Seeā this trope is about pushing the limits. There's something extremely satisfying about seeing how far the characters will let you go as an author in their story, and thereās a certain sense of accomplishment in testing your own limits as a writer. Writing is often such a personal and lonely activity that sometimes writers get the need to inject something into their routine to keep them on their toes and, to me, that has always been the exploration and variation of sexual encounters.
A common use for the sex pollen trope (and how I personally like using it/reading it), is to bring together two (or more!) people who have wanted to be together (consciously or unconsciously) for the duration of the narrative. It lowers the inhibitions of the more reserved character(s) and lets them give in and indulge the wide array of passions that they might have been repressing or might have not even been aware of.
Of course, this doesnāt erase the iffy and often problematic elements that come inherent with the trope. At the end of the day, it is an outside influence that forces two or more people to engage in a sexual act togetherā the consent line is blurred when the reader sits back and thinks: āHow much is this the characters wanting to do this and how much is this the drug/plantās influence?ā This is why non-romance authors, or dark-romance authors, can use the trope to explore darker topics such as non-consent or dubious consent.
And this is when we, as readers and writers, have to make a decision.
What we engage with in media is our own decision. We cannot let outside influencesā like the odd, puritanical senses of people on Twitter dot comā dictate to us what is morally right or wrong to consume. I reiterate that if you personally donāt like this trope thatās fineā but this doesnāt give anyone the right to belittle or shame anyone who does find this trope alluring and interesting.
However, I do think there are ways to explore it in a better manner. Granted these are only my solution to engaging with this trope and it is not a guidebook or anything. These are simply a few tips and tricks I have used in order to use/consume the trope in romantic media.
There is no right or wrong way to explore the trope. Our creativity as writers and our freedom as readers cannot be stunted by the morality of others, they should only be examined by our own beliefs.
But, for the curious, hereās how I decide to engage with the trope:
The characters are on equal footing. If youāre going to take any of my points to heart, I urge you for it to be this one. I think itās important for all characters partaking in this to be on equal footing (both drugged) because it means there is no power imbalance. They are equal when it comes to this act, inherently doing this together and coming together ( Ķ”Ā° ĶŹ Ķ”Ā°) in order to survive the ordeal. Usually (but not always), the characters are thrown this pollen by a villain or an outside force in order to distract them or to fill another plot-related point so this could be a small, bonding moment between the characters.
Also, the opportunity to write about mutual pinning/longing is just *chefās kiss*Verbal confirmation. This one is give or take. I personally enjoy using this as an assurance to the characters themselves. They can choose or not recognize the event taking place and the fact that they are under the influence and assure one another that if this is the only way, then this is the only way. Not to mention, itās a great opportunity to establish trust between them when they have an exchange that goes along the lines of an āIf it had to be with someone, Iām glad itās youā.
Obvious and tangible desire. Listen, if the intent of the scene is to be sexyā then it needs to be sexy. It needs to sizzle off the page, it needs to get my heart thumping and make me grip the book/tablet just a lil bit tighter. Chemistry is an extremely important element in romance, that goes without saying, but there needs to be a moment where we truly understand how much these characters have wanted each other and for how long theyāve kept it under wraps. This decision can be both a physical reaction or an emotional one, just always make sure to keep a well-toned balance between the two.
And there you have itā yes, the trope is complicated and messy and thereās a bunch of nuances that get lost in the conversation about it that isnāt discussed in full detail here because personally, it is not what it appeals to me as a writer/reader.
What does appeal to me about this trope is the characters finally giving into their desires and reaching out toward the act that they have seemed to deny themselves for one reason or another. Thereās a satisfaction in watching the composed characters lose their nerve and break under their desire for the other, to finally embrace that hedonistic and often decadent part of themselves that has been present all along.
Currently Watching (TV)
HOUSE OF THE DRAGON left me starved for more fantasy and THE OWL HOUSE delivered. Although extremely different in tone and themes (obviously, since this one IS a kidās show) TOH is everything Iāve ever wanted in a spiritual successor to GRAVITY FALLS. Funny, charming, and extremely well-written, there are moments in this show that have left me legitimately teary-eyed as soon as the episode ends. Luz is a relatable, charming protagonist, and the entire ensemble cast that accompanies her within the terrifying, yet equally fascinating, Boiling Isles is just as well-rounded and expertly written as the main conflict itself. Genuinely cannot recommend it enough.
Recently Watched (Films)
Can you tell Iām in a fantasy/historical kick? I didnāt go into THE PRINCESS with high expectations because the way this movie was marketed was very similar to that #girlboss angle that a lot of companies are getting too comfortable associating with feminism and it just rubs me the wrong way. However, I love being proven wrong went things are actually good, and THE PRINCESS kicked my ass in the best ways. Boldly asking the questionā What if a fairytale princess was also John Wick, Joey Kingās debut as an action star proves that she has what it takes to make it in the action-movie game. Itās also just fun to see the title characterās wedding dress get progressively worse and worse as she tears ass making her way down the tower. Fun, exciting & exhilarating, what the film lacks in originality it makes up for in bombastic action set pieces and re-establishing Veronica NgĆ“ as a force to be reckoned with.
Currently Listening (Music)
Tove Loās DIRT FEMME is an electronica dance-pop gem that should be a phenomenon! Radiating love, desire, self-assurance, and confidence, Tove Loās use of poppy lyrics and electrifying beats makes this album just an absolute joy to listen through (possibly multiple times). Iām biased because my favorite track is TRUE ROMANCE, which one of my best friends described as āRyessida vibesā and if thereās a surefire way to make me listen to something, itās to appeal to my narcissism.
Currently Reading (Books)
While my October TBR when somewhat exactly how I thought it would (for more information about my October reads, click here), for November Iāve decided to take a much more relaxed mindset. While I am carrying over one book from October (because I couldnāt finish it on time), I will also be beta-reading some friendsā WIPs. I made aesthetics for them both at the top and am very excited to dive into these worlds. Iāve decided not to share details about said projects as they are not mine to share/wouldnāt want to give anything away, but Iām confident I will love their work as much as I love their presence online.
Other reads Iām planning to get through in November:
The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling (Carried from October)
Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert
For The Throne by Hannah Whitten
The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
Authorās Note: If you want to discuss sex pollen, tropes or just scream at me in general, feel free to drop by my discord!