I just posted a fic (different fandom) that I labeled as gen despite there being off-screen sex because the relationship wasn't the point of the fic. Wasn't even close to the point of the fic and I felt labeling it as het would be disingenuous. It is without a doubt a gen fic that happened to feature part of a canon relationship.

I mention this because it's an unusual thing to do and I thought about it a bit because so much focus in fandom is placed on ships. Gen fic gets less readers, everyone knows that, so I wonder if people aren't afraid to label their fics as gen because it'll decrease their readership. Even if their fics are gen except for squint and you might see it subtext.

I've also noticed that in Supernatural fandom there is less labeling of fic as 'squint and you might see it subtext' or 'there if you want it UST' or even 'can be read as preslash' then I've seen in other fandoms. And all of those are the closest I usually see to gen fic being mixed with pairing fic. I think part of the problem is the idea that gen=no romance rather than gen=fic focuses on things other then the pairing, but the pairing may be present, perhaps because that's a bit of a mouthful.

IDK, just some thoughts.