Writing: Feminist or Manarchist?
Michelle Gagnon from the Dorothy-L list linked an interesting analysis of Stieg Larsson's Girl with A Dragon Tattoo I thought I'd share with you.
The Rejectionist brings up some interesting points about women and how they're perceived and, sadly, used in books and movies. Maybe I read too many cozies and have conveniently missed just how many hard-boiled, noir, thriller, procedural and "mainstream" mysteries portray women as victims--usually dead ones. And mysteries aren't the only culprits.
It's a fine line to toe. How do you write a murder where the victim is female without victimizing all women? I by no means consider myself a militant feminist, but neither do I want to contribute to the mire.
Yes, some people become victims. The nightly news tells us so every evening. That doesn't mean we should turn our characters into helpless stereotypes.
The Rejectionist's blog especially hit home because I'm working out a scene in my head where my female protagonist is supposed to be locked into a small shed during a heat wave to warn her off. I never thought much about it, but my first instinct was to have the future love interest come to the rescue. Oh, my heroine would try until the heat overcame her, but ultimately she'd be rescued by a man. I think I need to change that. I might go so far as to have the LI be the one trapped and the woman in shining armor charging to his rescue!
How do you avoid victimizing your female characters? Do you agree or disagree with The Rejectionist? Have you read TGWTDT? (I admit I haven't.)
The Rejectionist brings up some interesting points about women and how they're perceived and, sadly, used in books and movies. Maybe I read too many cozies and have conveniently missed just how many hard-boiled, noir, thriller, procedural and "mainstream" mysteries portray women as victims--usually dead ones. And mysteries aren't the only culprits.
It's a fine line to toe. How do you write a murder where the victim is female without victimizing all women? I by no means consider myself a militant feminist, but neither do I want to contribute to the mire.
Yes, some people become victims. The nightly news tells us so every evening. That doesn't mean we should turn our characters into helpless stereotypes.
The Rejectionist's blog especially hit home because I'm working out a scene in my head where my female protagonist is supposed to be locked into a small shed during a heat wave to warn her off. I never thought much about it, but my first instinct was to have the future love interest come to the rescue. Oh, my heroine would try until the heat overcame her, but ultimately she'd be rescued by a man. I think I need to change that. I might go so far as to have the LI be the one trapped and the woman in shining armor charging to his rescue!
How do you avoid victimizing your female characters? Do you agree or disagree with The Rejectionist? Have you read TGWTDT? (I admit I haven't.)