Women in fantasy
So...this has actually come up several places for me recently. The issue of the common sexism particularly evident in the fantasy genre (books, specifically, though movies and TV don't have the best track record either).
I've been thinking about writing something original for awhile now. I have ideas I don't really want to go into too much detail about, but I have spent a lot of time thinking about what I find problematic in most fantasy, and what I really want to see that isn't common enough in fantasy.
So I'm going to start a list, and I'd love it if other people kept adding to it. What are the most problematic tropes in fantasy?
DO NOT WANT
-Rape
-Women playing a subservient role to men
-Women not having any importance to the main plot
-Romance being the main plot for women
-Women being portayed in anyway as being weaker for their sex (including jokes about 'don't be such a girl', which is one of my current biggest pet peeves)
DO WANT
-Female leads
-Lots of women, not just a token one
-Diversity- not just race, but attitudes and philosophies as well
-Humor
-Camaraderie between women
NOW ADD TO IT!
And in case you were curious, I'm not going to give away ploty things, but just to wet your appetites (and also, to solicit some prelim feedback)-
The story is going to follow, primarily, two women. I may end up having one be more the lead, and one the sidekick (sort of an Eve Dallas/Peabody thing), or I may have them pretty equally important. Still tweaking that. Anyway, I see one of them as being a very Vala type character, with the other the long suffering Daniel type, though, you know, a woman. I really want the main relationship to be them and their friendship.
But you know me, I can't write anything truly gen to save my life. So here's where I'd be interested in some advice. I don't want romance to be a big focus. In fact, it might be nothing physical happens and it's all just flirting and teasing. Not because I don't like kissing or sex, but because, again, I want it to be background. Now, I'd like to make one of these women gay or bisexual. Because hey, THEY EXIST AND ARE AWESOME TOO. But I admit to being a little nervous about...stepping on toes is a bad way to put it. But look, I'm not gay. I can get very engaged in fictional same sex couples, but I don't write same sex couples, except when it's porn without plot. It's not that I'm worried about getting it 'wrong' or something, just...if I have two women, one gay and one straight, by virtue of me being straight I think I'd gravitate towards the straight couple more, and they'd end up with more focus. And then I'd be worried about the gay couple feeling tokeny? IDK, I'm probably over thinking it too much. Maybe? ADVICE PLEASE.
I've been thinking about writing something original for awhile now. I have ideas I don't really want to go into too much detail about, but I have spent a lot of time thinking about what I find problematic in most fantasy, and what I really want to see that isn't common enough in fantasy.
So I'm going to start a list, and I'd love it if other people kept adding to it. What are the most problematic tropes in fantasy?
DO NOT WANT
-Rape
-Women playing a subservient role to men
-Women not having any importance to the main plot
-Romance being the main plot for women
-Women being portayed in anyway as being weaker for their sex (including jokes about 'don't be such a girl', which is one of my current biggest pet peeves)
DO WANT
-Female leads
-Lots of women, not just a token one
-Diversity- not just race, but attitudes and philosophies as well
-Humor
-Camaraderie between women
NOW ADD TO IT!
And in case you were curious, I'm not going to give away ploty things, but just to wet your appetites (and also, to solicit some prelim feedback)-
The story is going to follow, primarily, two women. I may end up having one be more the lead, and one the sidekick (sort of an Eve Dallas/Peabody thing), or I may have them pretty equally important. Still tweaking that. Anyway, I see one of them as being a very Vala type character, with the other the long suffering Daniel type, though, you know, a woman. I really want the main relationship to be them and their friendship.
But you know me, I can't write anything truly gen to save my life. So here's where I'd be interested in some advice. I don't want romance to be a big focus. In fact, it might be nothing physical happens and it's all just flirting and teasing. Not because I don't like kissing or sex, but because, again, I want it to be background. Now, I'd like to make one of these women gay or bisexual. Because hey, THEY EXIST AND ARE AWESOME TOO. But I admit to being a little nervous about...stepping on toes is a bad way to put it. But look, I'm not gay. I can get very engaged in fictional same sex couples, but I don't write same sex couples, except when it's porn without plot. It's not that I'm worried about getting it 'wrong' or something, just...if I have two women, one gay and one straight, by virtue of me being straight I think I'd gravitate towards the straight couple more, and they'd end up with more focus. And then I'd be worried about the gay couple feeling tokeny? IDK, I'm probably over thinking it too much. Maybe? ADVICE PLEASE.