This is why I read comments before replying. Your second paragraph more eloquently states my opinion on the matter. In fandom we can indulge in what we cannot read or write in RL.

And as someone else stated, we enjoy what is different than our RLs. I enjoy genfic, but I'm living a genfic, so there's only so much I care to read. On the other hand, I'm part of this tiny population of people saving themselves for marriage, so I enjoy smutfic because it's not gonna happen in RL for another three to eight years (I hope I get married by then...)