ponderings

[tielan]

Is there any point in signing up for avengersfest when all I really want is Maria Hill or Maria/Steve, and so far about 10 people have signed up and Maria is either "will not write" or one of the "oh, I suppose you can write her if you really really absolutely must" listings or unmentioned in their sign-up

Comments

[scribble_myname]

I write them all, but let's just say I rarely pass the reverse bechdel test, rare being compared to my entire collection of fiction. If my guys are talking, it's usually about women. I've just always been about the women.

So yeah, I love Maria because she's strong and makes the hard choices and sacrifices, and that, m''dear, is my catnip. The women I love vary widely in personality, but they all have that in common: that aspect of selfless sacrifice and doing what's right even when it hurts them terribly or it's hard to know what is. Women with convictions. Maria is wonderful and as nice as Pepper is, when it comes down to one or the other, I'm usually always writing Maria. She does it for me.

I'm pretty sure the reason she gets so little love is because she does not "love" any of the guy characters fandom spends a shocking amount of time on. She supports, opposes when necessary, and deals with the guys, but she doesn't kowtow, has her own agenda, and doesn't seem to pursue chemistry with them or love them the way that Natasha obviously loves Clint and Steve. Her story is never about theirs, not even a little bit. Her story is secondary, but it's always HER story, and that makes the guy-loving fans have little to gain from focusing on her.

Then there's the fact that our culture has pushed personality and personal loyalty over loyalty to what's right and the greater good for a long time. I love that MCU has had the women putting their job and what's right above their personal relationships, but any of the women who do that in MCU at expense of approving of men who still have the audience approval get crucified by half of fandom, especially, pardon my saying, if they're not blonde and beautiful.

Gah. I don't get involved with fandom culture around MCU for that reason, just my friends and fic. It's not a conscious bias from what I can tell, but it is ridiculously large.

I have characters who are cold and ruthless and selfless and willing to hurt the people they love if it saves them or those in need of protection. A lot of people want something else from women, but I want the women who stick to their guns and soldier on.

[tielan]

Her story is secondary, but it's always HER story

I think that's it, really.

I don't get involved with fandom culture around MCU for that reason, just my friends and fic.

Problem is, some of this came up in a discussion with a friend from a previous fandom. Not one who's actually in the MCU fandom, so far as I can tell, just LOOOOOOOVES Natasha (and thinks Maria is 'meh').

[scribble_myname]

:le sigh: I guess nobody's perfect. Meh is never a word I'd apply to Maria.