I rmr like 10 years ago it was seen as a huge fandom no no to alert actors and writers to shipping culture for the sake of the thing itself. I vividly remember how ppl were seen as social pariahs for asking actors at conventions about fanfic, or fanart. It was seen as, like, a violation akin to talking about Fight Club. It's why it was exciting if people from the industry organically spoke about fanfic or fanart because there was a very clear line that in general was not crossed. Because shipping, fan art and fan culture in general is/was something done with fans by fans for each other - not for production companies or clout. I mean, the term queerbaiting was originally created to call out the maligned act of a production weaponising queer fan culture to promote a show with no actual pay off. If was a term coined to condemn the entertainment industry interfering with fan culture. But now that's not only normal but people *want* it for some godforsaken reason like so many people actually want fandom to be in the hands of the industry. I don't get why you can't see that doing so is selling your soul!!! you're ceding something community driven and made out of love to the greedy soulless hands of capitalism and for what??? for what??? because you need validation?? cos then everyone will clap? pathetic.