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schemingreaderNo, this isn't about his guilt, or innocence. It's not about his loyalties, and it's not about his teaching style.
This is about Snape's virility.
The other night, I was IMing with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rexluscus when I had the thought that maybe overactive sebaceous glands are related to testosterone.
I googled, and this seems to be the consensus. The production of sebum, the stuff that makes your hair greasy, is regulated by testosterone.
What else does testosterone do? It makes Snape the guy we know from fanon. I checked out Wikipedia article on testosterone which had a systematic list of its effects on humans.
In canon, Snape has greasy hair and a voice that is "silky" or "waspish." Movie!Snape has Alan Rickman's glorious baritone. Most of us fan fic writers have grabbed that deep voice for our characterizations. Well, testosterone thickens the vocal cords and makes the voice deep.
Canon!Snape has a very thin, almost gaunt face. i didn't realize that this was a side effect of testosterone in the body, which thins the subcutaneous fat in the face. Who knew? He should also have a prominent adam's apple.
In canon, Snape has an explosive temper. (This is less true in the movies, unfortunately.) Testosterone has effects on aggression. Canon!Snape is also spying while teaching a full course load (and perhaps doing a few other things on the side, we don't know!) Testosterone has effects on energy.
In fanon, we give Snape a massive schlong. If he's got this much testosterone in his system, that makes sense! It also makes sense that he has a very strong sex drive. Both are part of the high-testosterone profile. He should also have a lot of body hair.
Of course he could have all sorts of unpleasant side effects not mentioned in canon, like zits and hair on his back, and male-pattern baldness. We know he's not going bald, because if he were Harry would mention it. I have always supposed that he doesn't have zits because he's a potions wiz. (wiz, get it? ehhhh.)
So when you write a Snape characterization, it actually does matter why his hair is greasy. If it's overactive sebaceous glands, it might make a difference in a lot of other areas than just his head.
No wonder we want to pair him off with practically everyone we can!
This is about Snape's virility.
The other night, I was IMing with
rexluscus when I had the thought that maybe overactive sebaceous glands are related to testosterone. I googled, and this seems to be the consensus. The production of sebum, the stuff that makes your hair greasy, is regulated by testosterone.
What else does testosterone do? It makes Snape the guy we know from fanon. I checked out Wikipedia article on testosterone which had a systematic list of its effects on humans.
In canon, Snape has greasy hair and a voice that is "silky" or "waspish." Movie!Snape has Alan Rickman's glorious baritone. Most of us fan fic writers have grabbed that deep voice for our characterizations. Well, testosterone thickens the vocal cords and makes the voice deep.
Canon!Snape has a very thin, almost gaunt face. i didn't realize that this was a side effect of testosterone in the body, which thins the subcutaneous fat in the face. Who knew? He should also have a prominent adam's apple.
In canon, Snape has an explosive temper. (This is less true in the movies, unfortunately.) Testosterone has effects on aggression. Canon!Snape is also spying while teaching a full course load (and perhaps doing a few other things on the side, we don't know!) Testosterone has effects on energy.
In fanon, we give Snape a massive schlong. If he's got this much testosterone in his system, that makes sense! It also makes sense that he has a very strong sex drive. Both are part of the high-testosterone profile. He should also have a lot of body hair.
Of course he could have all sorts of unpleasant side effects not mentioned in canon, like zits and hair on his back, and male-pattern baldness. We know he's not going bald, because if he were Harry would mention it. I have always supposed that he doesn't have zits because he's a potions wiz. (wiz, get it? ehhhh.)
So when you write a Snape characterization, it actually does matter why his hair is greasy. If it's overactive sebaceous glands, it might make a difference in a lot of other areas than just his head.
No wonder we want to pair him off with practically everyone we can!
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Date: 2006-09-06 04:46 am (UTC)HURRAY! I am vindicated!!!
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Date: 2006-09-06 04:48 am (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2006-09-06 04:57 am (UTC)no subject
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From: (Anonymous) - Date: 2006-09-06 08:58 pm (UTC) - Expand(no subject)
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Date: 2006-09-06 05:21 am (UTC)I need to go read some Snape fanfiction. ;-)
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Date: 2006-09-06 11:25 am (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2006-09-06 05:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-06 12:36 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2006-09-06 07:17 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2006-09-06 07:49 am (UTC)It's an ultimately cheering morning post, especially paired up with
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Date: 2006-09-06 12:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-06 08:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-06 12:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-06 09:13 am (UTC)And regarding the male pattern baldness...Canon!Snape's only in his mid-to-late thirties, which is very young for a wizard. I'll bet that hairline's going to be receding when he's fifty!
(what do you mean he won't still be alive when he's fifty? In *my* stories he will be. *g*)
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Date: 2006-09-06 11:30 am (UTC)Though it could be magic.
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Date: 2006-09-06 12:56 pm (UTC)Of course he could have all sorts of unpleasant side effects not mentioned in canon, like zits and hair on his back, and male-pattern baldness.
Well, there's always something like artistic freedom. Despite having researched these details, no one can force you to use them in a story. ;)
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Date: 2006-09-06 01:29 pm (UTC)And just as you say, we have our own imaginations. >:-}-*
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Date: 2006-09-06 01:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-06 02:59 pm (UTC)Maybe he used to have them and is over that...
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Date: 2006-09-06 01:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-06 03:01 pm (UTC)(I might have put a little too much thought into this.)
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Date: 2006-09-06 01:59 pm (UTC)Ah, it's good to be back home and back online. *smile*
I go for a psychological explanation: Snape=complicated, complicated=interesting, interesting=sexy. But the physiological explanation has its own kind of logic....
Maggie
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Date: 2006-09-06 03:04 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2006-09-06 03:41 pm (UTC)brilliant XD
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Date: 2006-09-06 04:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-06 03:50 pm (UTC)You've proved, in this case, that fanon=canon. QED.
*squee*
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Date: 2006-09-06 04:06 pm (UTC)Maybe she's planning to give him zits and back hair instead.
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Date: 2006-09-06 04:05 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2006-09-06 05:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-06 05:55 pm (UTC)I feel like Dr. Science over here.
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Date: 2006-09-06 08:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-06 09:44 pm (UTC)(I'm sure she would not!)
Thanks! I guess it's easier to be sensible about Snape when one isn't arguing about whether he's good or evil!
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Date: 2006-09-06 09:10 pm (UTC)He should also have a lot of body hair.
not really fanon characterization (quite the opposite), but i guess either he's got a potion for that too or it's why he's always covered up to his wrists and ankles...
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Date: 2006-09-06 09:42 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2006-09-07 03:21 am (UTC)Smoking and drinking: On the other hand, men at higher levels were 25% more likely to report one or more injuries, 32% more likely to imbibe 5 or more drinks in a single day and 151% more likely to smoke. See http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=51013. I always pictured Snape as a chainsmoker.
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Date: 2006-09-07 06:42 pm (UTC)I have also read many many fics in which he likes to drink. The problem with that is, drinking alcohol is a really strong part of British culture. I've written at least two fics in which he isn't much of a drinker, and I now regret that choice!
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Date: 2006-09-07 06:15 am (UTC)Mars is the most masculine of planets, so it makes sense he'd have a high testosterone level.
2. The other reason I've heard given for his greasiness that I REALLY love is that Snape is a spider animagus, and all spiders are greasy so that they won't stick to their webs.
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Date: 2006-09-07 06:44 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2006-09-07 08:41 am (UTC)Rationalization. Meta. Ever!no subject
Date: 2006-09-07 11:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-07 06:29 pm (UTC)Here via
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Date: 2006-09-07 06:36 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2006-12-23 10:07 pm (UTC):D