Bad feminist. No biscuit.

[baratron]

I realised last night, I'm on page 37 of my novel and there hasn't been a single female character yet. Not one with actual dialogue. One's mentioned in passing and the other is a horse - I hardly think this counts. The only exception would be if you don't know that I Only Write Slash and assume that the first-person narrator is a woman. Damn

Comments

[baratron]

Empress Martina Septim? The thought of that makes my brain break.

To borrow stellarwind's description, "That makes me think of one of those over-sexualized RPG female characters - but STILL WITH SEAN BEAN'S VOICE!"

Also *shuffles feet in embarrassment* I have A Thing for Hot Boy On Boy Action, and do not have A Thing for Hot Girl On Girl Action, unless I happen to be one of the girls. It's very odd, that.

And I find hurt/comfort squicky if the person being hurt and then comforted is female. It's too... close to real life. Whereas it's the biggest kink I have if they're male.

So, in short... the only way I could write it genderswitched would be to leave Alix and Martin as male, and then switch some of the minor characters. Which I think would just be Odd, and would change some of the dynamics (especially if the monks ended up as nuns - do there exist anywhere orders of nuns who are retired soldiers and keep swords stashed away under their habits? Actually, that in itself is awesome enough that I might have to write a short fic just with the monks).

[firecat]

I totally want to see fic about retired soldier nuns with swords under their habits. :)

That aside, I think you should write your fic exactly the way you want it even if it doesn't have female characters. Writing exactly what you please is feminist in and of itself.