Passive female characters some thoughts

[kaldary]

So you don't like female characters who are rather passive, subordinate to the men, their entire goal is to get married, and any other sexist characteristics

Comments

[ex_nuitsong]

I don't think some people realize-- especially feminists-- is that passive female characters can also serve as commentary to gender roles. Simply because the author portrays them in that manner, doesn't necessarily mean they feel it justified.

I, myself, being more of a passive person, relate easily to passive characters. It's hard to connect to the strong, female leads that are assertive and do things I just wouldn't feel comfortable doing-- no matter how much I would like to.

Passive female stories could also serve as example for helping a passive woman break from traditional roles-- supposing the character develops and matures. Just some thoughts to add on.

[kaldary]

Yeah I agree with that. I just hate when fans take their hatred of these types of characters to the extreme and write troll posts on forums, draw horrible fanart, write them as awful characters or experience awful things in fanfiction. It's not the character's fault that they were written that way, and if all female characters are portrayed in such a way, then they need to take issue with the author.

I notice when tough action girls get flak, it's almost always because she is the love interest of their favorite male character.

[rosehiptea]

I, myself, being more of a passive person, relate easily to passive characters. It's hard to connect to the strong, female leads that are assertive and do things I just wouldn't feel comfortable doing-- no matter how much I would like to.

I feel so much the same way, and I'm always afraid to admit it. I love strong female leads and I could watch them all day but they're nothing like me. So I like having a variety of characters, including more passive ones and just... everybody.

[akai_senshi]

THIS SO VERY MUCH.

[ginnekomiko]

For me, it does come back to the author, but it's not a question of wanting a passive or aggressive female character, it's more do they feel like a believable character? Do their actions seem natural instead of guided by the plot or writer?

There's nothing wrong with passive characters. They just have a higher tendency of not being very developed by the writer, especially if she does function solely as the love interest.

Action girls seem to get less flack because they (usually) do something even if they are a love interest, but they can be just as badly written as a passive character in the wrong hands, especially after they get coupled off.

[ex_nuitsong]

Agreed.

[kaldary]

Yes I agree there is nothing wrong with passive characters. These are just the characters that often get berated by fans and flamed to hell. I think that if someone so hates these characters, to take it out on the author and not the character itself. Espeically when they cry sexism but then are completely hypocritical when, immediately after, they call the character a bitch, slut, whore, ect...

[ginnekomiko]

I actually really like that you brought this idea up because it's true a lot of bad characters are usually just written badly or written into a corner, but people tend to act these characters exist and should be held for their actions (or lack therefore of) when it's the author who should be called out on it.

[haro]

All of those traits don't necessarily make a character sexist, depending on the way it's handled or written in the narrative.

But say a character and narrative is written in a really sexist manner, then yeah I generally direct my ire toward the creator of said character because they're the one who had potentially problematic views worm their way into the story. This is why, for example, I hold disdain toward Steven Moffat, who I think is sexist as all, as opposed to his female characters Amy and River, who are the (albeit fictional) victims of that. Imo.

[akai_senshi]

Sometimes I wonder if it's because the creators themselves are usually male and considered beyond reproach because of their gender. *headdesk*

[slayerofgod]

I wish people could be consistent in their criticism of characters, because female characters are second guessed at every opportunity, and males are not.

I realize that that's an unfortunate burden of living in a patriarchal society, but male characters get away with things that female ones could never get away with.

[kaldary]

I think a lot of it has to do with fangirl jealousy. I mean, even with the best written female character, fangirls will find something to complain about her. They will cry sexism, Mary sue, bitch, whore, without ever justifying it or explaining why they feel that way about the character. I also think some men feel threatened when an outspoken, tough female girl shows up.

Though I find most critism of females coming from other women, regardless if it is deserved or not. I've seen people cry sexism for Katara for Avatar when that couldn't be furthur from the truth.

[printfogey]

Though I find most critism of females coming from other women, regardless if it is deserved or not.

*jumps in* I would disagree with this. In the male-dominated corners of fandom that I've seen, I find just as much girl-bashing from the dudes. There are some biases that can be different between fanboys and fangirls (someone like Hinata in Naruto seems better liked by the fanboys, if TVTropes is anything to go by; Sakura in the same series less so), but the urge to defend the main dude and harp on major female characters unless they're your fave holds true for both categories, alas. And I agree with you that many guys feel threateed by the presence of assertive action girls - and at the same time, they'll often blame the character rather than the writer if she happens to lose a fight.