Rating Question for A03

[tripperfunster]

The rating on my Regarding Tony comic is M for Mature on A03. While there is peen there is no graphic penetration, there is no non-con or even dub-con really.

Someone commented there that I need to change the rating, and I'm honestly not sure if I should. The next step up is E for Explicit which is 'only for adults'.

I would think that the rating of Mature pretty much implies it's only for adults too. (The rating down is Teen.)

Whatdaya think?

Comments

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing, but what would Mature mean to you?

The comment was a tad snarky, and I'd honestly thought I'd rated it G or something by mistake.

It's really no skin off my nose to change the rating, I was just surprised that Mature didn't cover it.

[atdelphi.livejournal.com]

In terms of visual art, Mature to me would be either full-frontal nudity without signs of sexual excitement or a sex scene in which the genitals are not visible. When you have naked genitals in a state of excitement during a sex scene, that's Explicit to me.

AO3 provides the following definitions:
Mature - "This is for content with adult themes (sex, violence, etc.) that isn't as graphic as explicit-rated content."
Explicit - "This is for porn, graphic violence, etc."

FF.Net weighs in (albeit in terms of written content):
M [Mature]: Not suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 with non-explicit suggestive adult themes, references to some violence, or coarse language. Fiction M can contain adult language, themes and suggestions. Detailed descriptions of physical interaction of sexual or violent nature is considered Fiction MA [Explicit].

Explicit is just that to me: we are in no doubt of exactly what they're doing. Again, the movie analogy is flawed, but if you rented a Rated R movie with sexual content, you'd expect to see bare butts, orgasm-faces, some suggestive movements and maybe a brief moment of non-aroused nudity. You wouldn't expect to see a naked and erect cock going into someone's mouth.

Of course, I'm much more likely to click on a work marked Explicit than one marked Mature... *g*

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Aaah yes! It's a selling point! ;)

Where did you find those definitions on A03? I looked and looked and found nothing! grrrr

I guess I'm also over-keen on what 'Teen' would be. Geez, if a Teen can't see what you (and they) rate as mature, then I was one out of control teen!

Technically, any nude that shows genitals (ie: anything my DaVinci or Michelangelo) would be considered Mature. *eyeroll*

[atdelphi.livejournal.com]

Where did you find those definitions on A03? I looked and looked and found nothing! grrrr

My bad - I got it from Fanlore, another OTW project, but I should add that the AO3 ToS makes it clear that they have no interest in policing the difference between Mature and Explicit, and will only take abuse complaints if something is rated Gen or Teen when it should be Mature or Explicit.

I guess I'm also over-keen on what 'Teen' would be. Geez, if a Teen can't see what you (and they) rate as mature, then I was one out of control teen!

Teen generally refers to the lower end of the teenage spectrum, i.e. thirteen-year-olds. And yes, those of us in this corner of fandom were reading our share of porn by that age, but amongst the general population, that's actually not always the case. For me, in fic at least, the difference between Teen and Mature has more to do with emotional context than with level of detail (which seems to be the line you're trying to draw between Mature and Explicit). The same non-detailed scene of sexual content could be Teen if everything's consensual and above-board, but would likely be Mature if there are any subtle issues that I think someone would need to be more, well, mature to pick up on. But to me the difference between Mature and Explicit is in the name. Is there explicit sex? If yes, then Explicit.

Technically, any nude that shows genitals (ie: anything my DaVinci or Michelangelo) would be considered Mature. *eyeroll*

Sorry, I should clarify that I meant titillating nudity that doesn't show sexual arousal for my definition of Mature - i.e. beefcake. Incidental nudity can be anything from G up.