Questions of Character

[pellucid]

Character has been coming up a lot lately in the various fannish playgrounds I've been hanging out in. Discussions of female characters at gabolange's (flocked, or I'd link) and surrealis's ( here), discussions of characters of color at sugargroupie's (most relevant bits flocked), a chat with some RL friends about J. K. Rowling's efforts to control the interpretation of her

Comments

[pellucid]

You know, you and I have talked about character preferences at various times before, but I don't know that I've ever seen you put all the pieces of your preferences together like this before--and I suddenly have this far more enlightened understanding! (It's possible I wasn't paying enough attention before--eep! Sorry.) But yeah, that all makes loads of sense.

I like "meaty" characters, ones that make you laugh and cry and scream angrily at the screen when they do something stupid

I would argue that every one of the female characters on my "favorites" list would fit this description--though many of them are from shows you don't watch. But I agree, and I, too, get frustrated when women get written only into stereotypical roles. (I admit to a certain weakness for the "women who can do amazing things without breaking a nail", but I'd rather see them doing amazing things while breaking nails and expectations and stereotypes.) There are really strongly-written, well-developed female characters on television, though, and I will argue that till I'm blue in the face. It doesn't mean everyone is required to like them; but I don't want people ignoring the fact that they're there and then continuing to spread the myth that they don't exist. (And yes, I realize that you said just that, basically, and this isn't me responding to you specifically; more just a general rant. ;) )

[meg_tdj]

You know, you and I have talked about character preferences at various times before, but I don't know that I've ever seen you put all the pieces of your preferences together like this before--and I suddenly have this far more enlightened understanding!

Really? Wow... maybe I should always have this kind of conversation when I'm dead tired then. ;)

I would argue that every one of the female characters on my "favorites" list would fit this description--though many of them are from shows you don't watch.

Yeah, I think that's it exactly... I clearly don't watch the right shows! But it really did look bleak for women on TV for a while there, yet over the past few years more and more great female characters have been popping up out of nowhere. Even in the shows I watch. ;)